Priya's brothers fight over property

Bhaarati K Dubey / TNN / Dec 3, 2005, 00:39 IST

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The late actress has left behind over Rs 10 crore worth of property and jewellery, including a flat in Juhu.

MUMBAI: Priya Rajvansh was enmeshed in a property dispute that led to her being murdered in 2000. Now after her death, yet another altercation has cropped up, in which her two brothers are pitted against each other.
The late actress has left behind over Rs 10 crore worth of property and jewellery, including a flat in Mangal Kiran Apartments in Juhu and a sprawling house in Chandigarh, which she wanted to donate to charity.
But the dispute between her brothers��Padamjit Singh, an American citizen, and Kanwar Singh, who lives in England��will now create hurdles.
"Priya bought her Mangal Kiran flat for Rs 58 lakh from her own earnings, and her will says this property should be sold and the proceeds given to organisations like Helpage India, CRY, Cheshire Home and the Spastic Society of India," said Bobby Sethi, a close friend of Rajvansh and a key witnesses in the murder case.

"But this has not happened, since Padamjit and Kanwar Singh have not been able to agree on which charitable organisation the money should go to."
According to Sethi, the brothers finally decided that they would split the money from the proceeds and each donate his half to a charity of his own choice.
The "more forthright" Padamjit, said Sethi, wanted the sale proceeds to be put in a fixed deposit and the interest to go to charitable institutions so that the objective of charity was met for a longer period.

In an added complication, of the four cheques issued to Padamjit for Rs 23 lakh (half the amount for which the Mangal Kiran flat was sold), two bounced. Padamjit's lawyer, Rizwan Siddiqui, has sent a notice to the buyer of the house and the bank.
Padamjit has other grouses as well. He has yet to receive a copy of the executed agreement of the sale and alleges that all Priya's belongings inside the flat were shifted to the Chandigarh house by Kanwar.
"Among these, there was a Raza painting, which Kanwar sold for Rs 10 lakh," he said to TOI from his Connecticut residence. "I have not received a single rupee of this.
Kanwar also took away Priya's jewellery, which was kept inside a Ganesha statue in the house as well as a diamond ring she was wearing at the time of the murder. He claimed it was a fake diamond, but its value is Rs 7 lakh."
The brothers are also fighting over their Chandigarh house which is valued at Rs 6 crore. "I have been barred by Kanwar from entering the house, though according to my father's will the property has to be shared between the three of us," said Padamjit.
"I have flown to India at least nine times since Priya's death but I have not accomplished anything. There are people in Chandigarh who are ready to pay me my share and don't mind fighting the case on my behalf. I guess I will have to do that.
"My parents had always told us that Priya's welfare should come first and that is precisely the reason I want to do something for both my parents and Priya before I die," he said. "I am 71 years old, but Kanwar does not seem interested."
Kanwar Singh's lawyer, Ranjit Singh Walia, when contacted, rudely said, "Padamjit has only 25 per cent stake in the house," and hung up.
However according to reliable sources, Kanwar Singh has been claiming that he was closer to his sister Priya and therefore has the right to her property.
But haven't the Anand brothers (sons of Priya's long-time companion Chetan Anand, who are accused of having a hand in her murder) staked a claim on Priya's house?
"They have behaved like gentlemen where Priya's flat was concerned, although there was a suggestion that Chetan Anand had gifted the flat to Priya," said Sethi.

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