Mystery death of HP princess who willed assets to her domestic help

On November 7, the unmarried princess celebrated her birthday at Bilaspur. The next day, Rajeshwari went with a friend to Kullu. On November 9, a will was signed in the presence of the local tehsildar, making her driver who had been with her for years and Babloo Gupta and his father Ram Bilas (who say they make their living selling peanuts) beneficiaries. The same night, she was referred to a hospital in Sundernagar following pain in the chest. Two days later, she died.

Dr Sanjay Dhiman, at whose clinic in Sundernagar she breathed her last, says: ‘‘She was brought on November 8 with complaints of breathlessness and discomfort. However, she declined to get admitted saying she had important work to do. A day later, in the night, she again came and was admitted. She later suffered a heart attack and died.’’

Her driver brought the princess’s body back to the palace.

By then, Rajeshwari’s immediate family and her legal heirs had learnt that a major portion of her movable property, including gems and jewellery, objects of art, rare Persian carpets and a car, had been willed to her staff. The immovable assets, which are estimated to be worth more, have been bequeathed to a trust to be headed by the Chief Minister.

The princess’s brother, Kanwar Kriti Chandra, filed an objection statement before the Bilaspur administration, leading to seizure of the property under dispute by the authorities. ‘‘It’s a straight case of mala fide,’’ Chandra told The Indian Express. ‘‘We apprehend that Raj Rajeshwari was made an addict of some drug by the helpers…We’ll seek justice from court.’’

Chandra and his wife Karuna believe that while Rajeshwari may have died due to a heart attack, she was poisoned slowly over the years.

Incidentally, Babloo and Ram Bilas were thrown out of the household three-four years ago on suspicion of foul play. ‘‘For nearly two years they were away. The princess then stayed with us and was treated for depression and other ailments at Chandigarh Medical College,’’ says Karuna.

While Bilaspur Tehsildar Dhanvir Thakur, in whose presence the new will was signed, denies any mala fide, the family says even the authorities have been bought over.

Babloo Gupta and his father plead innocence, saying they had no idea about the new will. They also claim they are being threatened, forcing them to change their residence.

‘‘We are being targeted because we have been given some property by her,’’ says Gupta. He claims they didn’t even receive any wages from Rajeshwari and only served her because of the ‘‘bond we had’’. ‘‘What we earn is from selling peanuts.’’ However, Babloo owns a Maruti van on which he sells ice-cream in summers.