‘Madhya Pradesh HC lifted a stay on Pataudi family properties, paving the way for the government to seize the properties’
Mumbai: Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, currently recovering from knife injuries in Mumbai, is facing a massive legal challenge concerning his family’s properties in Madhya Pradesh, valued at an estimated ₹15,000 crore. These estates are at risk of being taken over by the government under the Enemy Property Act, 1968, according to an NDTV report.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court recently lifted a stay on these properties, in place since 2015, potentially paving the way for their acquisition. The Enemy Property Act permits the government to claim assets of individuals who migrated to Pakistan after Partition.
The disputed properties include the Flag Staff House, Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Dar-Us-Salam, Ahmedabad Palace, Kohefiza Property, and others, many of which hold historical significance. Justice Vivek Agarwal, delivering the judgement, noted that the amended Enemy Property Act of 2017 offers legal remedies. The court directed the concerned parties to file a representation within 30 days, instructing the appellate authority to consider the appeal without dismissing it on the grounds of limitation.
The case traces back to the last Nawab of Bhopal, Hamidullah Khan, who had three daughters. The eldest, Abida Sultan, moved to Pakistan in 1950, while the second daughter, Sajida Sultan, remained in India and married Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi. Sajida was recognised as the legal heir to the properties, and her grandson, Saif Ali Khan, inherited a share. The government’s claim rests on Abida Sultan’s migration, which classifies the assets as “enemy property.”
In 2019, a court declared Sajida Sultan as the rightful heir, but the recent High Court ruling has reopened the case.
Bhopal Collector Kaushalendra Vikram Singh has initiated an investigation into the ownership records of these properties, spanning 72 years. He suggested that people living on the lands could be categorised as tenants under state leasing laws, raising fears of eviction among approximately 150,000 residents.
“The stay has been lifted, but merging these properties under the Enemy Property Act is complex. The Pataudi family still has an opportunity to appeal,” said Sumer Khan, a local resident.
