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Legal experts, however, note that such a case would face major hurdles, including limitation laws, sovereign immunity and complex jurisdictional issues
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For now, the 1917 certificate remains a preserved piece of family history
A family in India’s Madhya Pradesh has claimed that the British government owes them money from a loan given more than 100 years ago during the First World War, reported wionews.com.
The family of the late businessman Seth Jumma Lal Ruthia says it is now exploring legal options to recover the amount, along with interest.
According to 63-year-old Vivek Ruthia, his grandfather subscribed Rs 35,000 in 1917 to what was known as the Indian War Loan.
At the time, the region was under British rule. The money was reportedly given to support the administration in Bhopal. A certificate dated June 4, 1917, signed by W S Davis, the then Political Agent in Bhopal, states that Seth Jumma Lal of the firm Seth Rama Kishan Jaskaran Ruthia “subscribed Rs 35,000 to the Indian War Loan and thereby showed his loyalty to the Government and Empire.”
During the colonial period, Political Agents acted as intermediaries between the British authorities and princely states, handling official matters and maintaining imperial control
Seth Jumma Lal Ruthia passed away in 1937. A decade later, India gained independence. The family maintains that no repayment or settlement was ever made by the British authorities.
Vivek Ruthia says he is consulting lawyers to assess whether a financial claim linked to a colonial-era war loan can be pursued against the present-day United Kingdom. No legal notice has been issued so far.
He adds that the matter is about more than money. If adjusted for compound interest, inflation or gold value, the original Rs 35,000 could now amount to over Rs 10 crore.
