Saif Ali Khan’s Rs 15,000-Crore Worth Ancestral Property In Trouble, Govt Likely To Acquire It
Historical properties linked to Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan’s family in Bhopal, valued at an estimated ₹15,000 crore, are on the verge of being taken under government control. The Madhya Pradesh High Court has lifted a stay order imposed on these properties in 2015, paving the way for their potential acquisition under the Enemy Property Act, 1968.
According to an India Today report, Justice Vivek Agarwal of the Madhya Pradesh High Court delivered the ruling, emphasizing the provisions of the amended Enemy Property Act, 2017. The court directed the Pataudi family to file a representation within 30 days to contest the claim.
The properties under scrutiny include prominent landmarks such as the Flag Staff House, where Saif Ali Khan spent his childhood, along with Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Dar-Us-Salam, the Bungalow of Habibi, Ahmedabad Palace, Kohefiza Property, and others.
The Enemy Property Act allows the Central government to claim properties owned by individuals who migrated to Pakistan after India’s Partition in 1947. The legal dispute traces its origins to the lineage of the Pataudi family. Hamidullah Khan, the last Nawab of Bhopal, had three daughters. His eldest daughter, Abida Sultan, migrated to Pakistan in 1950. His second daughter, Sajida Sultan, remained in India, married Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, and became the legal heir. Saif Ali Khan is the grandson of Sajida Sultan and inherited a share of the ancestral properties.
However, Abida Sultan’s migration to Pakistan allowed the government to classify the properties as “enemy property.” In 2015, the Enemy Property Custodian Office in Mumbai declared the Nawab of Bhopal’s properties as government land, prompting the Pataudi family to challenge the order in court.
The Bhopal district administration has refrained from commenting on the case, but Bhopal Collector Kaushalendra Vikram Singh stated that action will follow only after further clarification from the High Court.
The legal battle involves Saif Ali Khan, his mother Sharmila Tagore, sisters Soha Ali Khan and Saba Ali Khan, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi’s sister Sabiha Sultan, and the Center, among others.
With the High Court’s latest decision, the Pataudi family faces a critical deadline to present their case before the government proceeds with any further action.
