After his death on January 15, 2023, the body of Mukarram Jah was brought to his birthplace, Hyderabad. The mortal remains of the eighth Nizam of Hyderabad were kept in the city’s Chowmahalla palace on January 17 for the public to pay respects.
Mukarram Jah passed away at the age of 89. He was chosen as the heir of the famous Osman Ali Khan, the seventh Nizam of the erstwhile Hyderabad state. Mukarram Jah’s predecessor was considered to be the richest person on the planet, however, most of his wealth and fortune disappeared after the state of Hyderabad merged into the Union of India.
Mukarram Jah. Credits – Siasat.com
One of the grandsons of the last Nizam of Hyderabad filed a complaint against his relatives alleging that they submitted fabricated documents to claim over 35 million pounds, which originally belonged to Mir Osman Ali Khan.
After the state of Hyderabad had surrendered to the Union of India, Nizam’s finance minister, Moin Nawaz Jung, transferred a huge sum of £1,007,490 and nine shillings to the account of Pakistan’s High Commissioner, Habib Ibrahim Rahimtoola. The transaction was done without taking the permission of Nizam himself.
The Money was initially kept in the bank, as they asked the three parties, i.e. India, Pakistan, and Nizam to solve the issue amongst themselves. The case dragged on for years, however, in 2013, Pakistan broke its sovereign immunity by approaching the bank for the money. By 2013, the amount had increased by 35 times. Pakistan stated that the money was given to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, as Jinnah was going to procure arms for Hyderabad to fight against the Union of India.
Mukarram Jah’s grandfather and seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan. Credits – Express Photo
In 2018, The government of India and the Eighth Nizam, Mukarram Jah decided to fight the case together. The decision was given in the favour of India and Nizam, as they were allowed to have the whole of £35 million
For both countries, the case was much more than the money involved. It hinted at the relationship with the erstwhile state of Hyderabad. However, the financial aspect of the case was not completely insignificant for Jah as the Eighth Nizam had incurred several losses due to several personal reasons in the last few years.
The case registered by one of the grandsons of Mir Osman Ali Khan considers the documentation of the £35 million to be faulty. Nawab Najaf Ali Khan had filed the complaint against the Nizam (Mukarram Jah), his ex-wife Esra Birgen, and his son Azmath Jah.
Credits – Deccan Chronicle
He alleged that the family submitted an invalid Certificate of Succession to the UK court in the fund case. He also alleged that the ‘fraudulent means’ used by Mukarram Jah resulted in the loss to the rest of the family and legal heirs to the Nizam.
Najaf Ali Khan stated that Mukarram Jah was not the ruler of the erstwhile Hyderabad state, hence he was like an ordinary citizen of the country. He also stated that the personal law of inheritance should apply to Mukarram Jah, as it will be applicable to any other person in the country.
