In what sounds like a royal drama straight out of a historical soap opera, a woman recently approached the Supreme Court (SC) of India claiming that she is the great-granddaughter-in-law of the Mughals and so the rightful 'heir' of the Red Fort. Yes, you read that right! Meet Sultana Begum, who says she's the great-granddaughter-in-law of Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, and here's how the SC responded to her claims.
On Monday, a bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar dismissed her petition regarding Red Fort's ownership, calling it “misconceived” and “meritless”, as per reports.
Sultana’s lawyer passionately argued that she’s related to India’s “first freedom fighter,” hoping that would sway the court. But Chief Justice Khanna remarked, “If we accept this, why stop at Red Fort? Why not Agra or Fatehpur Sikri too?”
Sultana Begum's royal dreams crushed
This isn’t the first time that Sultana Begum attempted to reclaim the Red fort. The Delhi High Court (HC) had already rejected her petition earlier — not once but twice! First in 2021 and again in 2023, when they pointed out that she waited over 150 years to file the claim.
Her excuse? Poor health and personal tragedy with the untimely death of her daughter. However, the court said wasn't convinced and did not buy her reasons.
Why Sultana Begum claimed the Red Fort?
Sultana Begum insists that after the 1857 revolt, when the British took control and exiled the last Mughal Emperor- Bahadur Shah Zafar, the Red Fort was wrongfully snatched from her family. She further claims that after India's independence from the British Rule in 1947, the Red Fort was illegally taken by the Government of India. And so, she considering herself as the rightful Mughal 'heir', Sultana Begum urged the court to either return the Red Fort to her or give her suitable compensation for it.
But with the Supreme Court dismissing Sultana Begum's plea to own the Red Fort, and calling it baseless, it seems her royal dreams have come to an end.
No Red Fort. No compensation. Just a royal no.
What are your views on Sultana Begum's claims? Tell us in the comments section below.
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