Supreme Court closes dispute between Jaipur royal family groups over ownership of hotels

The Supreme Court has put the curtains down on the protracted legal battle involving Jaipur royal family members over ownership in prized properties, Jai Mahal Hotels and Rambagh Palace Hotel, after the court-appointed mediator former judge Kurian Joseph gave his report in a sealed cover on an amicable settlement of dispute.

Advocate Abhishek Kumar Rao of law firm Prime Legal India LLP said that according to the deed, "Maharaj Devraj and Rajkumari Lalitya, the grandchildren of Maharani Gayatri Devi, will get back the luxurious heritage property Jai Mahal Palace hotel from their step uncles as per the amicable settlement." Rao said he has been representing Maharaj Devraj and Rajkumari Lalitya in their court cases.

A bench comprising Justices R Subhash Reddy and Hrishikesh Roy noted the submissions of the parties that former apex court judge Justice Kurian Joseph, who was appointed mediator on September 7, 2021, has successfully concluded the mediation and the original “Memorandum of Settlement signed by the parties” has been sent to the court which has taken it 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 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 December 15, 2021. Subject to above, Civil Appeals stand disposed of," the apex court noted in its order.

These civil appeals are filed aggrieved by the common order dated 12.03.2020 in Company Appeal (AT) Nos. 329 of 2018, 270 of 2018 and 271 of 2018 passed by the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal at New Delhi.

The subject matter of these appeals relates to disputes regarding ownership and shareholding, between the appellant group and the respondent group, in Jai Mahal Hotels Pvt Ltd. and Rambagh Palace Hotel (P) Limited.

Raj Kumar Devraj and Lalitya Kumari had filed two separate appeals last year against the 2018 orders of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) with respect to ownership and shareholding of in Jai Mahal Hotels Pvt Ltd and Rambagh Palace Hotel (P) Limited.

In the appeals pending in the Supreme Court, Rambagh Palace Hotel Pvt Ltd and Jai Mahal Hotel Pvt Ltd represented by Jai Singh and Vijit Singh were the respondents.

Rao said Maharaj Devraj Singh and Rajkumari Lalitya Kumari will now get the Jai Mahal Palace from step uncles and their heairs who had taken over it in 1997.

"Maharaj Jai Singh and Maharaj Vijit Singh agreed to handover the Jai Mahal Palace to our Clients (Maharaj Devraj Singh and Rajkumari Lalitya Kumari ) under an amicable settlement arrived between them all on December 15, 2021," he said. Simultaneously, Maharaj Devraj Singh and Rajkumari Lalitya Kumari will also leave some of their rights in other property, he said.