Hyderabad Fund distribution may be delayed

HYDERABAD: The distribution of £35 million (Rs 324 crore) from Hyderabad Fund among the beneficiaries is likely to be delayed as Nizam VII Mir Osman Ali Khan’s grandson Najaf Ali Khan has filed a petition in London court accusing the administrator of Nizam Estate of breach of trust.
The Nizam’s money popularly known as Hyderabad Fund had been locked in a legal battle in a UK court for seven decades as India, Pakistan and legal heirs of the Nizam claimed its ownership.The London High Court on October 2 had decreed Hyderabad Fund in favour of India and legal heirs.
As Pakistan did not prefer an appeal within the stipulated time, the money will now be distributed between the Indian government and legal heirs of the last ruler of the princely Hyderabad state.
But even as the ground is being readied for the distribution, Najaf Ali Khan approached London HC on October 30 seeking review of the judgement and order to the effect “not to disburse the fund until the outcome of the disposal of this review application”.
The court while decreeing legal costs in the case on December 19 mentioned that Najaf Ali Khan, claiming to be a beneficiary of the estate of the Nizam VII, has put in an application seeking a chunk of the money. This will be heard in a separate hearing. The case was posted to next year.
Apart from India, Mukarram Jah and Muffakham Jah, grandsons of the Nizam, the administrator to the estate of the Nizam VII was also a party to the case. Najaf Ali Khan, who was part of the estate, alleged that the administrator has not acted with due diligence.
“The… evidence will conclusively establish that the princes (Mukarram Jah and Muffakham Jah) are not the only successors of the Nizam VII and hence the administrator (of the Nizam estate) has not acted with due diligence. Therefore, if the funds are disbursed to the way mentioned in the judgment it will lead to a gross miscarriage of justice prejudging the position of the other heirs of Nizam VII including Nawab Najaf Ali Khan,” he said in the petition.
Najaf Ali Khan told TOI that he has been fighting the case since 2004 when he wrote to the NatWest Bank, where the money was held up, to know the details of the Fund and the account. “I brought the Nizam family members’ names on record of the UK court. I have put in tireless efforts on this issue for almost 15 years,” he added.
“To protect the interest of about 120 family members of Nizam I represent, I have sought review of the judgement pronounced on October 2, 2019 by Justice Marcus Smith at the UK High Court,” he said.