Thai princess Rajawongse Priyanandana Rangsit, who had married Jagat Singh, the only child of Rajmata (queen mother) Gayatri Devi, Friday alleged at a press conference here that her late husband's step brother and family were trying to take away her children's 'rightful inheritance'. Maharaja Jagat Singh had died in 1998.

Her two children - son Devraj Singh and daughter Lalitya Kumari - have picked up the cudgels against their grandmother Gayatri Devi and are demanding a share of the property. Jagat Singh had divorced his wife before his death.

Princess Priyanandana Rangsit, the former Rani, Friday made public what she alleges is the 'forged will' of her late husband made by Gayatri Devi, the news website said.

The 'forged will' was allegedly discovered in June this year after Devraj Singh and Lalitya Kumari filed a petition against Prithiviraj, step brother of Jagat Singh, and his son at the Company Law Board (CLB) in order to seek remedy against them on 'account of their misdeeds, which includes illegal additional allotment of shares in the company'.

The main reason behind the feud is that the shares of the opulent palace-hotel, the Jai Mahal Palace Hotel Pvt. Ltd., were increased without the knowledge of the estranged members of the family.

A case was filed against the directors of Jai Mahal at the Company Law. According to Rangsit, her husband used to hold 99 percent of the company's shares but it had been diluted to 7 percent, while Prithiviraj and his family now own 93 percent of the company, she said.

After Gayatri Devi was informed and there was no response from the family, Devraj and Lalitya approached the CLB for justice.

Rangsit stated that the 'forged will' came to light only after the CLB case was filed in Delhi in April.

 'In June 2006, a supposed will was lodged with the District and Sessions Court, Jaipur, which claimed that the late Jagat Singh had disinherited his children and left everything for his mother, Gayatri Devi. However, the will is forged as no will was discovered for nine years after the demise of Jagat Singh,' Rangsit alleged.

She stated: 'I never asked for anything except the custody of my children when I separated from Jagat Singh. Devraj and Lalitya were minors when they signed the blank powers of attorney for their uncle, Prithviraj. We did not know their uncle is going to rob them of their father's properties and refuse to give any benefits, rent income or dividends to Devraj and Lalitya or to appoint Devraj the director of any company even when he was living in Jaipur in 2003-2004 between his BA and MA studies.'

Last week, Gayatri Devi had been made to file a succession certificate application in the District and Sessions Court, Jaipur, in her name alone, disinheriting her two grandchildren completely, based upon the forged will, Rangsit said.

Devraj Singh had performed the last rites of his father and was handed over his sword by Sawai Bhawani Singh, making him the legal successor to Jagat Singh, she said.

Rangsit hoped that in the ongoing family saga the children would 'not suffer and be given their rights with due respect'.

 'Since Jagat's death, his step brother and family have been trying to replace him in Rajmata's affections at the same time as taking the rightful inheritance from his heirs. I am here to seek justice in India for Jagat's and my children. As a mother I feel that it's my duty to try to claim my children's patrimony and legal rights for them as I am sure their father would have wished,' Rangsit said.