Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, who is currently recuperating from a horrific knife attack, might lose his ancestral property in central India’s Madhya Pradesh. Saif belongs to the royal Pataudi family in Bhopal and the estate is estimated to be worth INR 15,000 crore (approx. USD 1.73 billion).
As per reports, a recent court ruling has tilted the scales in the government’s favour to take control of the historical properties of the Pataudi family, where Saif has shares.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court lifted the stay imposed on these properties, taking the government a step closer to acquiring control under the Enemy Property Act, 1968. The said act states that the government can claim properties of those who migrated to Pakistan from India after the historic partition in 1947.
ALSO READ: Doctors remove knife from Saif Ali Khan’s spine, actor out of danger
In Saif’s case, the actions of one of his great aunts are playing a crucial role here. Saif is the grandson of Sajida Sultan, the second daughter of Bhopal’s last Nawab, Hamidullah Khan. Sanjida’s elder sister, Abida Sultan, migrated to Pakistan in 1950. This has allowed the government to target the property under the act.
Even though Sanjida married Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, and became the legal heir of the property, Abida’s migration has emerged as a focal point in the government’s claim.
As per reports, the properties under scrutiny include the Flag Staff House, Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Dar-Us-Salam, Bungalow of Habibi, Ahmedabad Palace, Kohefiza Property, and others.
“On December 13, 2024, a single bench of the High Court asked the Pataudi family to present their side before the appellate authority in 30 days. As of January 21, however, it was not clear whether the family did so,” reported India Today.
As per Bhopal collector Kaushalendra Vikram Singh, individuals staying on these lands may be treated as tenants under the state’s leasing laws. Singh also plans to examine the ownership records of these properties over the last 72 years, NDTV reported.
Meanwhile, the recent development has left 150,000 residents in a state of anxiety.
