ANCESTRAL PROPERTIES BELONGING TO BOLLYWOOD ACTOR SAIF ALI KHAN'S PATAUDI FAMILY, MAY COME UNDER THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT'S CONTROL FOLLOWING A RECENT COURT RULING. (PHOTO).

 Ancestral properties worth Rs 15,000 crore, belonging to Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan’s Pataudi family, may come under the Central government’s control following a recent court ruling. 

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has lifted a stay on these properties, many of which are in Bhopal. These assets could now be acquired under the Enemy Property Act, 1968, which allows the government to claim properties owned by individuals who migrated to Pakistan after Partition in 1947. The Pataudi family has been asked to present their case before the appellate authority within 30 days of the December 13, 2024, order.

The properties in question were declared government property by the Enemy Property Custodian Office in 2015, leading to a legal battle between the Pataudi family and the Centre. The family has been claiming ownership of several prominent properties, including the Flag House, Ahmedabad Palace, and other estates in Bhopal and Raisen. These properties originally belonged to the Nawab of Bhopal’s family, with Saif Ali Khan’s grandmother, Sajida Sultan, recognized as the legal heir. However, the government argues that the migration of Sajida’s elder sister, Abida Sultan, to Pakistan in 1950 makes the assets subject to the Enemy Property Act.

The High Court’s recent decision has left the ownership of these properties in uncertainty. The Bhopal district administration has refrained from commenting on the matter until the High Court’s order is clarified further. Meanwhile, Bhopal Collector Kaushalendra Vikram Singh has stated that any action regarding the properties will only be taken after the legal position is made clear. As of January 21, it is unclear whether the Pataudi family has responded to the court’s directive to present their case.

The properties have historical significance, as Bhopal was a princely state, and Nawab Hamidullah Khan, the last Nawab of Bhopal, was Saif Ali Khan’s maternal great-grandfather. While Sajida Sultan remained in India and became the legal heir to the properties, her sister’s migration to Pakistan brought the ownership into question under the Enemy Property Act.