Pakistani court rejects ownership plea of actor Raj Kapoor’s ancestral Haveli in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Peshawar High Court has dismissed a petition asking ownership over the famous Bollywood actor Raj Kapoor’s Haveli in the historic walled city of Peshawar. The Haveli has been declared a national heritage by the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in 2016.
The petitioner’s claim that the father of the petitioner had purchased the mansion during an auction in 1969 after competitive bidding, paid its cost and remained as absolute owner till the commencement of the acquisition process initiated by the provincial government was rejected by the court. The bench has told the council that the case could be forwarded to the civil court.
Kapoor Haveli has been declared a national heritage
The Additional Advocate General of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province said in court that Kapoor Haveli has been announced as a national heritage by the provincial archaeology department in the year 2016. However, the court quizzed the archaeology department whether they had any documents or proof that indicated that the Raj Kapoor family ever lived in the haveli.
The mansion, which is now in a dilapidated condition, is in a prime location, and its current owners want to demolish the structure and construct a commercial plaza. However, they couldn’t proceed as the archaeloy dept decided to preserve the mansion owing to its historical significance.
About Kapoor Haveli
Raj Kapoor’s lavish ancestral bungalow, Kapoor Haveli, located in Peshawar’s popular Qissa Khwani Bazaar., exists since 1918-1922. It was created by Raj Kapoor’s grandfather Dewan Basheswarnath Kapoor, while he, along with his uncle Trilok Kapoor was born here. Even late actor Rishi Kapoor and Randhis Kapoor had visited the location in 1990s.
The decision by the Peshawar High Court has brought a sigh of relief to the admirers of Raj Kapoor’s legacy.
The iconic Haveli, a symbol of Raj Kapoor’s life, will remain as a part of Pakistan’s rich cultural heritage. The decision has also helped in preserving the country’s historical identity and saving it from commercial interests.
