Wayanad District Collector S. Suhas issued an order on Saturday to take over Alathur Estate, a private coffee estate spread over 211 acres at Thrissilery village of Mananthavady taluk, as government property under the Kerala Escheats and Forfeitures Act, which looks into the administration and custody of escheats and unclaimed property. Mr. Suhas also cancelled any right, claim, or title of anyone other than the government on the land through the order. The estate, a well-maintained coffee plantation, was owned by British brothers Oliver Fiennes Maurice, Edwin Joubert Van Ingen, and John De Wet Ingen.
Maurice transferred his share to his brothers. Edwin and John were renowned taxidermists based in Mysuru and they maintained the estate well. Edwin became the owner of the estate after the death of John a few decades back. After Edwin died, the estate came under the Kerala Escheats and Forfeitures Act. After a preliminary inquiry, a notice was published in the official gazette, inviting claims and objections from those interested.
Two claims
Michael Floyd Eshwar from Mysuru, who now runs the estate, and Matilda Rosamond Gifford from England turned up with their claims, as adopted son and niece respectively, and they submitted their versions before the Collector.
Though Mr. Eshwar approached the Kerala High Court with a plea to get the procedures initiated by the Collector stalled, the court ruled in favour of the Collector.
No legal heirs
After examining documents and statutes, the Collector established that the estate is an escheat land as Edwin died intestate, without legal heirs.
Mr. Suhas took nearly five months to complete the task. He issued the 26-page order to take over the entire estate as government property. The revenue records related to this property will also be corrected to make it government land, Mr. Suhas said.
