Ancestral properties belonging to Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan's Pataudi family may soon come under the Centre's control. The properties are estimated to be worth around ₹15,000 crore and a majority of them are located in Bhopal.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court lifted a stay order on the properties, resulting in their acquisition by the Centre under the Enemy Property Act, 1968. As per this Act, the Centre can claim properties owned by individuals who migrated to Pakistan after Partition in 1947.
While delivering the order on December 13, 2024, Justice Vivek Agarwal said there is a statutory remedy under the amended Enemy Property Act, 2017. He also directed the parties concerned to file a representation in the case within 30 days.
"If a representation is filed within 30 days from today, the appellate authority shall not advert to the aspect of limitation and shall deal with the appeal on its own merits," the court said. It, however, is unclear that whether the Pataudi family has done so or not.
Bhopal Collector Kaushalendra Vikram Singh said that any action will be taken only after the High Court order on the matter is clear.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court started hearing the case in 2015 after the Mumbai-based Enemy Property Custodian Office declared the Nawab of Bhopal's land as government property.
Parties in the case are 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 family claimed their land in Bhopal and Raisen. Properties under the scanner include the Flag Staff House, Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Four Quarters, New Quarters, Fars Khana, Dar-Us-Salam, Bungalow of Habibi, Ahmedabad Palace, and Kohefiza among others.
As of 1947, Bhopal was a princely state and Nawab Hamidullah Khan was its last Nawab. Nawab Hamidullah Khan was Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi's maternal grandfather. He had three daughters, of whom Abida Sultan migrated to Pakistan in 1950.
His second daughter Sajida Sultan stayed in India and married Saif Ali Khan's grandfather Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi. In 2019, the court recognised Sajida Sultan as the legal heir and Saif Ali Khan inherited a share of the properties.
Abida Sultan's migration led to the Central government claiming the properties as enemy property.