1. This suit was instituted by Karanpura Development Co. Ltd., against the State of Bihar and various other defendants requiring the defendants to interplead concerning their respective claims to the sum of Rs. 21,03,293. 8 np. being rent and royalty for the period from May 5, 1953 to May 4, 1959. The other prayer is that upon delivering such rent and royalty in the aforesaid sum to such person or persons as the court may appoint less the costs of the plaintiff in the suit and less commission, the plaintiff be discharged from all liabilities to the defendants and each of them in respect of the rents and royalties payable by the plaintiff in respect of the leases.

2. The plaintiff alleges in the plaint that at all material times Raja Bahadur of Ramgarh was the proprietor of Ramgarh Estate being Touzi No. 28 of the Collectorate of Hazaribagh in the State of Bihar till the Touzi vested in the State of Bihar under the Bihar Land Reforms Act, 1950 and notifications thereunder. The plaintiff further alleges in paragraph 2 of the plaint that the Raja Bahadur granted several leases in respect of coal in the said Touzi in favour of the plaintiff on various dates. In paragraph 3 of