Judgement

Appeal from a decree of the High Court (November 14, 1907) affirming a decree of the Subordinate Judge of Poona (December 7, 1904).

The question decided was as to the impartiality, as alleged by the appellant, the defendant in the suit, of certain property consisting of villages, lands, houses, and cash allowance in the districts of Poona, Ahmednagar, and Sholapur, in the Presidency of Bombay.

The respondent plaintiff and the appellant were half-brothers and the only surviving male representatives of the Nagpur branch of a family known as the Bhonle family, the history of which is sufficiently given in their Lordships judgment.

Raghoji III., the last ruling Prince of Nagpur, died without issue on December 11, 1853. Thereupon the

1 Law. Rep. 39 Ind. App. 202 ( 1911- 1912) Shrimant Raje Bahadur v. Shrimant Raje Lakshmanrao 102

Nagpur State lapsed to the British Government and its. possessions were annexed. The Government further declared the Bombay estate the subject of appeal to have lapsed, though as a matter of grace a small portion was allowed to remain with the widows for their lives.

In 1855 the widows adopted Janoji Bhonle—the father of the present litigants—as the s