BHOPAL: In a major legal blow to Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has upheld the Indian government’s decision declaring his ancestral properties in Bhopal as ‘enemy property’ under the Enemy Property Act, 1958. The ruling could strip Khan of properties worth over ₹15,000 crore.
The court’s verdict follows a 2014 notice by the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs, which claimed ownership of key assets belonging to the Pataudi family. These include the historic Flag Staff House, Noor-us-Sabah Palace, Dar-us-Salam, Ahmedabad Palace, Koh-e-Fiza Estate, and Habibi Bungalow.
Although Saif Ali Khan secured a stay order against the notice in 2015, the recent court ruling has lifted that protection, reviving the possibility of government takeover.
The dispute traces back to the partition era. Nawab Hamidullah Khan, the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal, had two daughters. His eldest, Abida Sultan, migrated to Pakistan in 1950, prompting the Indian government to claim that her share in the estate falls under enemy property laws.
On the other hand, his younger daughter, Sajida Sultan, who remained in India and married Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, is Saif Ali Khan’s grandmother. However, the court ruled that her residency in India alone does not grant her exclusive inheritance rights.
The High Court has now referred the case to a lower court to determine, under Islamic inheritance law, whether others also have a rightful claim. The subordinate court must deliver a judgment within one year.
Legal experts say the case could set a precedent, reflecting on post-partition property laws, inheritance rights, and India’s evolving stance on so-called enemy assets.