The Madhya Pradesh High Court has rejected Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan's petition against the government notice declaring his family’s property in Bhopal as "enemy property."
On December 13, 2024, a single bench of Justice Vivek Agarwal dismissed Saif Ali Khan's petition. The court ruled that Saif Ali Khan could file an appeal with the Appellate Tribunal, but as of now, neither Saif Ali Khan nor his family has taken any action.
Saif Ali Khan’s family, the Pataudi family, owns property worth Rs 15,000 crore in Bhopal, including areas like Kohefiza and Chiklod.
The issue began in 2014 when the Custodian of Enemy Property Department issued a notice declaring the Pataudi family's property as "enemy property."
The situation escalated after a 2016 ordinance from the Government of India, which stated that the heirs of the Pataudi family would not have rights to their ancestral property.
After the death of Nawab Hamidullah Khan of Bhopal in 1960, his daughter Abida Sultan was considered the rightful heir. However, as she moved to Pakistan in 1950, the Indian government declared her second daughter, Sabia Sultan, as the legal heir to the property.
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In 2015, Saif Ali Khan challenged the notice in court and managed to get a temporary stay on the property. However, on December 13, the High Court rejected his petition and lifted the stay.
The term "enemy property" refers to property owned by individuals who moved to Pakistan during the partition of India and later renounced their Indian citizenship. Since Abida Sultan decided to settle in Pakistan, her family's property falls under this category.
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Following the Government of India's ordinance, individuals who bought property from the Pataudi family now fear the government may take control of the property and label them as "encroachers."
Saif Ali Khan filed his petition in 2015, claiming rights to his family’s ancestral property. However, despite the High Court’s ruling giving the Khan family 30 days to appeal, no action has been taken.
The deadline has passed, and the government is now in a position to claim ownership of the Pataudi family’s property.
The Bhopal district administration can begin proceedings to take control of these assets, which are valued at around Rs 15,000 crore, including important historical buildings and lands connected to the Bhopal princely state.
If Saif Ali Khan and his family do not appeal, the government will gain full rights over these properties, including Saif Ali Khan’s ancestral property in Bhopal.
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