A son has taken his sister to court over an estimated £1.2 million inheritance battle, claiming she “forced” their mother to cut him from her will and make her the sole executor and beneficiary.
While representing himself at a pre-trial hearing in Central London County Court last week, Robert Rajhpaul, a trained actor, contested his mother’s latest will before Judge Nigel Gerald, telling the court his mother “lacked capacity” to make a will in 2023 which disinherited him and left everything to his sibling, Precious Rajhpaul.
The court heard how Precious lived with their mum, Milda Rajhpaul, in her latter years and was left her entire fortune, including the £900,000 family home – which Robert says could be worth up to £1.2 million – and a sum of cash in her latest will made the year before her death in 2024, aged 88.
Robert claims his sister wrongfully pressured Milda into ripping up her 1993 will which split her estate equally between the siblings. He claimed his mother did not “know and approve” her new will, and that it was “procured through undue influence”.
He accused Precious of “starving” their elderly mother in her final years and isolating her in order to sever contact with wider family members.
“Precious changed the locks on the door and didn’t let any family member see my mother,” he told the judge.
“Normally anyone could go and see her,” he said, adding: “she ripped out the phone line because she knew my mother was trying to transfer some of the property over to me.”
On top of the will challenge, the actor, who told judge Gerald he is currently “homeless”, is also bringing a case for “reasonable provision” from his mum’s estate under the 1975 Inheritance Act, maintaining that he had been dependent upon her for financial support.
His sister, however, is rejecting the claims and defending the will, with her barrister Nicola Phillipson arguing in court that Robert’s case has “no prospect of success” and no evidence to support his claims.
“He has not provided any medical evidence or any detailed particulars to support his allegations,” she submitted.
Precious is counter-suing her brother for a ruling that it was valid, also rejecting claims that she pressurised her mum.
Judge Gerald adjourned the case in order for Robert to secure lawyers to present his case. He said: “You need to get legal help, because this is a very specific area of the law.
The case will return to court at a later date when it will be decided whether or not the will challenge can proceed.
