A Supreme Court-appointed panel has resolved the protracted legal battle involving members of Jaipur’s erstwhile royal family over the ownership of luxury heritage hotels Jai Mahal and Rambagh Palace. Late Maharani Gayatri Devi’s grandchildren, Devraj and Lalitya, have got the Jai Mahal Palace in Jaipur, and their step uncles got Rambagh Palace as part of the settlement.
Former judge Kurian Joseph, the mediator in the case, on September 7 submitted his report on the amicable settlement of the dispute to the court.
Advocate Abhishek Kumar Rao of law firm Prime Legal India LLP cited the deed and told PTI: “Devraj and Rajkumari Lalitya, the grandchildren of Gayatri Devi, will get back the luxurious heritage hotel Jai Mahal Palace from their step uncles as per the amicable settlement.”
Rao said he has been representing Devraj and Lalitya in their court cases.
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A bench comprising Justices R Subhash Reddy and Hrishikesh Roy noted the submissions of the parties that Joseph has successfully concluded the mediation. It added the original Memorandum of Settlement signed by the parties has been sent to the court, which was taken on record on December 15.
“In view of the settlement arrived at between the parties, learned counsels on both sides made a request to dispose of these appeals in terms of the settlement. In view of the request made, these appeals are disposed of with a direction that all the parties concerned shall abide by the terms of the settlement. The order impugned stands modified, in terms of the Memorandum of Settlement dated 15.12.2021,” said the court.
{{/usCountry}}“In view of the settlement arrived at between the parties, learned counsels on both sides made a request to dispose of these appeals in terms of the settlement. In view of the request made, these appeals are disposed of with a direction that all the parties concerned shall abide by the terms of the settlement. The order impugned stands modified, in terms of the Memorandum of Settlement dated 15.12.2021,” said the court.
{{/usCountry}}Devraj and Lalitya filed two separate appeals last year against the 2018 orders of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal with respect to ownership and shareholding in the hotels. In the appeals, Jai Singh and Vijit Singh were the respondents.
“Erstwhile members of the royal family, Jai Singh, and Vijit Singh agreed to hand over the Jai Mahal Palace to our clients (Devraj and Lalitya) under an amicable settlement arrived between them all on December 15, 2021,” Rao said. Simultaneously, Devraj and Lalitya Kumari will also leave some of their rights in other property, he said.
The erstwhile royal family refused to comment on the settlement saying it was an internal family issue.
(With inputs from PTI)