Facts
This case involved a dispute over marital status, a matter with significant legal ramifications in inheritance and family law. Here are the parties involved
Plaintiff/Appellant:
- Razia Begum: She initiated the lawsuit seeking a declaration that she was the lawfully wedded wife of the Prince. Her claim, if validated, would grant her the status of a wife and potentially entitle her and her children to inheritance rights.
Defendant/Respondent:
- Prince Azam Jah [1](referred to as “the Prince” in the sources): The second son of the Nizam of Hyderabad. He was the sole defendant named in Razia Begum’s initial lawsuit. Notably, he admitted to the marriage and Razia Begum’s claims.
Interveners/Added Defendants/Respondents:
- Sahebzadi Anwar Begum (Respondent 1): The admitted wife of the Prince and the mother of his son, Prince Shahainat Ali Khan. She, along with her son, sought to be added as defendants in the lawsuit to contest Razia Begum’s claim of being the Prince’s lawfully wedded wife.
- Prince Shahainat Ali Khan (Respondent 2): The admitted son of the Prince and Sahebzadi Anwar Begum. He, represented by his mother as guardian, joined the suit alongside his mother to contest Razia Begum’s claim.
Razia Begum initiated a lawsuit against the Prince, seeking two declarations:
- A declaration confirming her status as the Prince’s lawfully wedded wife.
- A declaration confirming her entitlement to a monthly payment of Rs. 2,000 as “Kharch-e-pandan” (a pre-nuptial agreement).
Razia Begum alleged that:
- The marriage ceremony (Nikah) took place according to Shia law on October 19, 1948.1
- They have three daughters together, aged 8, 7, and 5 at the time of the lawsuit.1
- The Prince was attempting to conceal the marriage from his family.
- The Prince’s refusal to acknowledge her publicly as his wife had cast doubt on her status and was negatively affecting her and their children’s rights.
The Prince, in his written statement, admitted to:
- Marrying Razia Begum in 1948.
- The existence of the pre-nuptial agreement for monthly payments.
- Fathering the three daughters with Razia Begum.
- Marrying Sahebzadi Anwar Begum in December 1952, after his marriage to Razia Begum and the birth of their children.
[1] www.legitquest.com