Saif Ali Khan loses Rs 15000 crore Bhopal inheritance case after court declares…
Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan and his family suffered a major legal setback earlier this week after Madhya Pradesh High Court overturned a 25-year-old order that affirmed their ownership over a property worth Rs 15000 crore. The court has now ordered the case to be heard afresh.
Two decades ago, a trial court judgement declared Saif Ali Khan, along with his mother Sharmila Tagore, and sisters Soha and Saba Ali Khan, as the owners of the properties they inherited from the rulers of princely state of Bhopal. However, as reported by PTI, High Court Justice Sanjay Diwedi has asked the court to conduct a fresh trial and settle the case within a year. The move could rephase the inheritance structure of The Bhopal royal family, and bring back the legal attention to one of the most controversial property disputes.
Other heirs of Nawab Hamidullah questioned the inheritance by the Pataudi Siblings. According to the lawyers, Begum Suraiya Rashid and Nawab Mehr Taj Sajida Sultan, along with others had filed case against ‘unfair’ partition of Nawab Hamidullah’s property. However, on February 14, 2000, the Bhopal district court ‘unfairly’ dismissed their separate appeals. Lawyers claim that the partition of Nawab Hamidullah’s personal property should have been done fairly between Saif Ali Khan, Sharmila Tagore and 16 other heirs, as per the Muslim Personal Law.
What is Enemy Property Act?
The Pataudi family’s assets in Bhopal fell under enemy property, which comes under Enemy Property Act, enacted in 1985 after the 1965 India-Pakistan war. Under this law, Indian government has the authority to seize land, budlings and other belongings that once belonged to people who left India and moved to China or Pakistan.
The act has been applied in this case as Saif’s great-grandmother, Abida Sultan- daughter of Nawab Hamidullah Khan and sister of Sajida Sultan renounced her Indian citizenship and moved back to Pakistan after Partition.
Why Court dismissed Saif Ali Khan’s Petition?
In 2015, Saif Ali Khan contested the declaration and secured a temporary stay from the Hight Court. However, in 2024, the court rejected his petition, and dismissed his challenge. In its recent order, Saif and his family were given 30 days to challenge the court’s decision by filing a petition with appellate tribunal, but no such appeal was made. The properties are now legally open for the government to acquire, and Bhopal District administration might soon take over the process.
This ongoing dispute, coupled with fresh legal notice, has once again shed light on the Pataudi family’s complex legacy, which continues to affect the heirs of pre-partition families.
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