Ancestral properties worth Rs 15,000 crore belonging to Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan's Pataudi family in Madhya Pradesh, with a majority of them in Bhopal, may come under the Centre's control after a court lifted a stay order on these assets.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court lifted the stay imposed on the ancestral properties, which could result in their acquisition under the Enemy Property Act, 1968.
According to the Act, the Central government can claim properties owned by individuals who migrated to Pakistan after Partition in 1947.
On December 13, 2024, a single bench of the High Court asked the Pataudi family to present their side before the appellate authority in 30 days. As of January 21, however, it was not clear whether the family did so.
Due to the unclear situation, the Bhopal district administration refused to comment on such developments. However, Bhopal Collector Kaushalendra Vikram Singh said any action will be taken only after the High Court order is clear.
WHAT IS THE CASE?
The Mumbai-based Enemy Property Custodian Office had declared the Nawab of Bhopal's land as government property in 2015, after which the Pataudi family went to court.
The High Court began hearing the enemy property case in 2015 against Saif Ali Khan, his mother Sharmila Tagore, sisters Soha Ali Khan and Saba Ali Khan and Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi's sister Sabiha Sultan, and the Centre and others.
The Pataudi family has been claiming their land in Bhopal and Raisen, which includes Kohefiza's Flag House, Ahmedabad Palace, besides the Kothi and forest located in Chiklod, Raisen.
The Pataudi family has been claiming that many properties, including Noor-e-Saba, Flag House, Dar-us-Salam, Four Quarters, New Quarters, Fars Khana, Kohefiza, Ahmedabad Palace belong to them.
In 1947, Bhopal was a princely state and its last Nawab was Nawab Hamidullah Khan, who was Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi's maternal grandfather. Nawab Hamidullah Khan had three daughters, of which the eldest one, Abida Sultan, migrated to Pakistan in 1950.
His second daughter, Sajida Sultan, remained in India, and married Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, Saif Ali Khan's grandfather, and became the legal heir of the properties.
In 2019, the court recognised Sajid Sultan as the legal heir and Saif Ali Khan, her grandson, inherited a share of the properties. However, Abida Sultan's migration to Pakistan resulted in the Central government claiming the properties as enemy property.
Ancestral assets valued at approximately ₹15,000 crore, associated with Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan's Pataudi lineage in Madhya Pradesh—predominantly situated in Bhopal—are poised to potentially transition under central government jurisdiction following the Madhya Pradesh High Court's recent annulment of a prior stay order on these estates.
This judicial decision paves the way for the possible appropriation of these properties under the Enemy Property Act of 1968, a statute that empowers the central government to seize assets owned by individuals who relocated to Pakistan post-Partition in 1947.
On December 13, 2024, a single-judge bench of the High Court directed the Pataudi family to submit their representation before the appellate authority within a 30-day timeframe. As of January 21, 2025, it remains ambiguous whether the family has complied with this directive. In light of this uncertainty, the Bhopal district administration has refrained from commenting on the developments. Bhopal Collector Kaushalendra Vikram Singh indicated that any subsequent actions would be contingent upon a clear interpretation of the High Court's order.
Case Background
The controversy originated in 2015 when the Mumbai-based Enemy Property Custodian Office designated the Nawab of Bhopal's land as government property, prompting the Pataudi family to seek legal recourse. The High Court commenced hearings involving Saif Ali Khan, his mother Sharmila Tagore, sisters Soha Ali Khan and Saba Ali Khan, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi's sister Sabiha Sultan, the central government, and other pertinent parties.
The Pataudi family's claims encompass properties in Bhopal and Raisen, notably the Flag Staff House in Kohefiza, Ahmedabad Palace, as well as the Kothi and forested areas located in Chiklod, Raisen. They assert ownership of several estates, including Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Dar-Us-Salam, Four Quarters, New Quarters, Fars Khana, Kohefiza, and Ahmedabad Palace.
Historical Context
In 1947, Bhopal functioned as a princely state under the reign of Nawab Hamidullah Khan, the maternal grandfather of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. Nawab Hamidullah Khan fathered three daughters; his eldest, Abida Sultan, emigrated to Pakistan in 1950. The second daughter, Sajida Sultan, remained in India, married Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi—Saif Ali Khan's grandfather—and was recognized as the legitimate heir to the properties. In 2019, the court acknowledged Sajida Sultan's legal heirship, resulting in her grandson, Saif Ali Khan, inheriting a portion of the estates. Nonetheless, Abida Sultan's migration to Pakistan has led the central government to classify the properties as enemy property.
This Aritcle is Published By dailybharat
