New Delhi, June 4 (PTI): The dispute between writer Chetan Bhagat and the Dumraon royal family over alleged depiction of the princely state in poor light in Half Girlfriend has been settled in a Delhi court.

Bhagat has offered an apology, saying the book was based on "fiction".

The Dumraon royal family (in Buxar) had sent a legal notice to Bhagat and his publisher in 2014, seeking an unconditional public apology. The Telegraph reported about the legal notice to the author in its November 24, 2014 edition.

The royal family scion Chandra Vijay Singh had sought Rs 1 crore as damages from Bhagat and others, besides a ban on further sale of the novel in its present form. He agreed to put an end to the lawsuit when Bhagat told the court that the depiction of the royals was based on "fiction" and was "imaginary" and "unintentional".

"I apologise to anyone if hurt by the said fictional representation of the assumed royal family in the novel," Bhagat told the court of additional district judge Harish Kumar.

Half Girlfriend has been made into a film with the same name, starring Arjun Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor.

"In view of the statement given by the counsel for the parties, present matter is disposed of as settled in accordance with the terms recorded particularly in the statement of counsel for defendant (Bhagat)," the court said, noting that it has been agreed that Bhagat will also publish a disclaimer in future editions of the novel and publish his clarification in newspapers by June 15.

Chandra Vijay, who filed the civil suit through advocate Avneesh Garg, had alleged that "express and implied references" that were "false and derogatory in nature" were made against the royal family.

The notice referred to a statement uttered by the protagonist on page 22 of the book - "My ancestors were landlords and from the royal family of Dumraon... My great grand uncles squandered their money, especially since they all felt they could gamble better than anyone else in the world. Several near-bankruptcies later, the women of the house took charge as the men had all turned into alcoholics."

Chandra Vijay Singh had told The Telegraph: "I am wondering how he (Bhagat) can write a book without visiting the place and without taking prior permission from the royal family. He has declared my father (Maharaja Bahadur Kamal Singh, two-term Lok Sabha MP and the last ruler of Dumraon before its accession to the Indian Union in 1952) dead in the book and also called him an alcoholic."

In his reply to the legal notice, Bhagat expressed regret and offered his lifelong friendship to the family. The writer has agreed to publish the clarification that the lead character, Madhav Jha, stated to be a descendant of the royal family of Dumraon, is not real. "While describing this fictional royal family of Jhas, the reference made to the royal family of Dumraon is inadvertent," Bhagat has said in the clarification given in court. The writer has agreed to publish the clarification that "as per record, the royal family of Dumraon had ruled Dumraon since 1018 and the rule was formally handed over by the last ruler, Maharaja Bahadur Kamal Singh, in June 1952...".

Bhagat said: "I clarify that the aforesaid depiction of the royal family of Dumraon was completely based on fiction, is imaginary, unintentional and has no factual basis."