Indian ex-royals lose gold battle

A former royal family from the Indian state of Rajasthan has lost a long-running legal battle over the ownership of nearly 600 kilograms of gold.

A court ruled that the gold - which was seized from a fort belonging to the royal family of Jaipur by the federal government nearly thirty years ago - should be handed over to the state of Rajasthan.

A lawyer for the Rajasthan government said the gold was part of a hidden treasure trove and therefore belonged to the state.

The family argued unsuccessfully that the gold was part of its private property.

It intends to challenge the ruling in the High Court. The gold was seized in a raid in 1975 by the government, who said the family had not declared it to the authorities.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service