Monkey money: Cast-out Indian couple name ‘good luck’ pet as sole heir

A wealthy Indian couple have made a pet monkey their sole heir, saying their lives became more prosperous after they adopted the animal and they want to ensure he is looked after. Brajesh Srivastava and his wife Shabista have no children, but they view their pet monkey Chunmun as a son and have set up a trust to ensure the animal is looked after if it outlives them. ”People might say we are mad, they might even ridicule us. But we know how valuable Chunmun is to us,” Shabista, 45, told AFP.

We are childless and Chunmun is a son to me. We want to ensure that even when we are not alive, Chunmun’s life is not affected and he continues to live the way he does.

Shabista on why she is leaving money to a monkey

The couple, who were cast out after marrying against their family’s wishes, say they were poor when they adopted their monkey in 2004 but have since prospered. They own the house where they live in Uttar Pradesh state in northern India, and they also have land and savings. Shabista is a successful lawyer and her 48-year-old husband owns several businesses including a cable TV network and a flour mill - all named after Chunmun. The 10-year-has his own air-conditioned room, which he shares with his “wife” Bitti.

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