RAJA RAM Vs. THAKURAIN SHEORANI KUER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The subject-matter of this first appeal is a large estate in the District of Cawnpore known as the Rawetpur estate. It has been in existence for some generations and consists of over .ten villages and the profits that arise out of the estate are said to be Rs. 25,000 per annum if not more. From generation to generation the estate has descended entire from father to eldest son to the exclusion of other sons. In this way, it descended to Rewet Randhir Singh in the year 1872. Rewet Randhir Singh died and within 4 days of his death, his son Rewet Sheo Singh also died. There was now left no direct male descendant of either Rewet Randhir Singh and Rewet Sheo Singh and the estate passed into the hands of Musammat Baghelin, widow of Rewet Sheo Singh. From 1873 to 1891, theestate remained in charge of the Court of Wards. In 1891 it was released from the management of the Court of Wards.

(2.) No sooner had it been released from the management than Rewatain Baghelin began to transfer the property right and left, some of it in favour of her brother Rampel Singh, but by far the larger portion of it, viz., 18 villages, she set aside for the purposes of a temple and a pathshala, and in the deed whereby she set aside this property for the above purposes, she provided that she should have the management of it for her life and after her death, it should be managed by her brother and his descendants.

(3.) She also constituted a committee of five trustees, who were to look after the management of the trust. She reserved only 5 villages for the maintenance of her mother-in-law Musammat Janwarin and herself and even these five villages she subsequently transferred. Shortly after this, i.e., in December 1895, she died. Upon her death, Rewatain Janwarin appears to have succeeded to the estate.