According to Indian media, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has lifted a restriction on the historic properties of the Pataudi family, valued at approximately ₹15,000 crore.
Media reports suggest that the court's decision has heightened the chances of Saif's family losing their properties to government acquisition under the 1968 Enemy Property Act.
The properties in question include the Flag Staff House, where Saif spent his childhood, Noor-us-Sabah Palace, Dar-us-Salam, Habibi Bungalow, Ahmedabad Palace, Koh-e-Fiza property, and others.
During the court hearing, the judge directed the concerned parties to submit their representations within 30 days. The court remarked that if representations are filed within this timeframe, the appellate authority will not reject them on technical grounds and will resolve the appeals based on their merits.
What is the Enemy Property Act?
The Enemy Property Act allows the central government to claim the properties of individuals who migrated to Pakistan after Partition.
Saif Ali Khan's Claim on Bhopal’s Wealth
These properties originally belonged to Saif Ali Khan’s grandfather, Sajida Sultan’s husband. In February 2015, the Custodian of Enemy Property for India declared these properties as “enemy properties.”
Sharmila Tagore and Saif Ali Khan, the wife and son of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, challenged this decision in court. In December 2024, the Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered them to appeal under the Enemy Property Act.
The issue arose when Abida Sultan, the eldest daughter of Bhopal’s last Nawab, Hamidullah Khan, migrated to Pakistan. The government declared the properties as enemy property following her migration.
However, Saif’s legal team argues that the properties legally belonged to Sajida Sultan, and her heirs—first Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and later Saif Ali Khan—are the rightful owners. Since the properties are located in India, they cannot be classified as enemy property.
Historical Background
The last Nawab of Bhopal, Hamidullah Khan, had three daughters. The eldest, Abida Sultan, migrated to Pakistan in 1950, while the second, Sajida Sultan, stayed in India and married Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi. Sajida Sultan became the legal heir to the properties, passing them down to her grandson, Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan.
According to media reports, the case took a new turn when the government based its argument on Abida Sultan’s migration and subsequently declared the properties as enemy property.
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