Saif Ali Khan's Rs 15,000 Cr Bhopal Assets May Be Seized by Govt

Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan faces potential loss of ancestral properties valued at approximately Rs 15,000 crore in Bhopal. The Madhya Pradesh High Court recently lifted a stay on these assets, paving the way for the government to seize them under the Enemy Property Act, 1968. The law allows the government to confiscate properties belonging to individuals who migrated to Pakistan after the Partition.

The single bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court directed the appellate authority to present its case on December 13, 2024. The Pataudi family failed to meet the January 21 deadline to respond, which may result in the government acquiring the properties.

The case centers around lands declared as government property in 2015 by Mumbai’s Enemy Property Custodian Office. These properties, previously owned by the Nawab of Bhopal, were contested by the Pataudi family, including Saif Ali Khan, his mother Sharmila Tagore, sisters Soha and Saba Ali Khan, and Mansoor Ali Khan’s sister, Sabiha Sultan. The disputed assets include Noor-e-Sabha, Flag House, Dar-e-Salaam, Fars Khana, Kohefiza, and Ahmedabad Palace, among others.

The historical context traces back to 1947, when Bhopal was a princely state under Nawab Hamidullah Khan. His eldest daughter, Abida Sultan, migrated to Pakistan in 1950, leaving behind her sister, Sajida Sultan, who married Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi. Saif Ali Khan, the grandson of Sajida Sultan, was recognized by the court in 2019 as the heir to these properties.

However, the Enemy Property Act classifies assets of individuals who migrated to Pakistan as government property. Authorities argue that these lands fall under this category due to Abida Sultan’s migration. While the Pataudi family claims rightful ownership as descendants of Sajida Sultan, the recent court decision to lift the stay could result in the government taking possession of the properties.