KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court on Sunday ordered the Nepal Trust to return 15 ropani and one aana land owned by former Princess Prerana Rajya Laxmi Singh, daughter of ex-King Gyanendra Shah, that it took over while nationalising late King Birendra's properties to her.

A division bench of Chief Justice Ram Kumar Prasad Shah and Justice Cholendra SJB Rana issued the order on a writ of certiorari petition, filed by Singh, the acting registrar and spokesperson of apex court, Shreekanta Paudel, told THT Online.

The apex court observed that the Trust is authorised to nationalise the properties of late King Birendra Shah, late Queen Aishwarya and their children only. She is niece of the monarch who was killed in a family massacre in 2001.

The former princess, in her writ filed on February 8, 2015, had argued that the Trust illegally took over the property that she received from her father as gift when she was married off.

The land situated in a posh area in Tahachal of the Capital is worth Rs 900 million as per the current market rates.

She had named the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers and the Nepal Trust among others as defendants in the case.