Supreme Court Dismisses Claim To Red Fort By Mughal Descendant's Widow: 'Why Not Fatehpur Sikri, Taj Mahal?'

The Supreme Court dismissed a petition filed by Sultana Begum, the widow of the great-grandson of the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar II, seeking ownership of the Red Fort - the iconic 17th-century red sandstone monument in Delhi.

Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna on Monday, responding to the plea, remarked pointedly, "Why only the Red Fort? Why not Fatehpur Sikri, or the Taj Mahal?" referring to other major Mughal-era structures. With a hint of disbelief, he added, "You want to argue this..." before declaring the petition "misconceived" and rejecting it.

Photo Credit: PTI

According to an NDTV report, Sultana Begum, who resides in Howrah near Kolkata, claimed rightful ownership of the Red Fort based on her lineage as a direct descendant of the Mughal dynasty.

She argued that the property had originally belonged to her ancestors before it was seized by the British following the First War of Independence in 1857. After the rebellion, Bahadur Shah Zafar II was exiled and all imperial properties were confiscated.

As an alternative, she requested financial compensation in exchange for relinquishing her claim to the monument.

This was not her first attempt. In 2021, she approached the Delhi High Court with a similar plea, citing the government's recognition in 1960 of her late husband, Bedar Bakht, as a descendant and legal heir of Bahadur Shah Zafar II.

At that time, the government began issuing him a pension, which was transferred to her after his death in 1980. However, she argued the amount was inadequate to meet her basic needs.

She further alleged that the government had illegally taken possession of the Red Fort and that the refusal to offer sufficient compensation constituted a violation of her constitutional rights-specifically, Article 300A, which protects individuals from being deprived of their lawful property without legal authority.

The Delhi High Court rejected her petition in 2021. Three years later, she appealed the decision, claiming delays in filing were due to her illiteracy and poor health.

However, the Supreme Court refused to entertain the case, citing that the appeal had been filed too late and lacked merit.