Latest news with #CustodianofEnemyPropertyDepartment
Indian Express
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Saif Ali Khan loses Rs 15,000 cr ancestral properties in Bhopal, declared ‘enemy property' by HC: Here's the complete list
According to the latest development, Madhya Pradesh High Court has set aside a trial court order in the long-standing Bhopal royal family inheritance dispute, which deemed actor Saif Ali Khan, his sisters Soha and Saba, and mother Sharmila Tagore as the successors to the properties in an appeal by heirs of Nawab Hamidullah Khan, who challenged the previous property distribution that was in support of Sajida Sultan, the Nawab's daughter from great-grandmother of Khan. The earlier decision had given the ancestral property to Sajida Sultan. However, the heirs of erstwhile, who passed away in 1960, were wanting a partition of the private properties according to the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Act, 1937, which was applicable at the time of the then Nawab's death, and moved trial court in 1999. However, the High Court has now directed the trial court to start afresh with the proceedings and finish the hearing in one year. This order can alter the entire inheritance structure of the Bhopal royal family. The legal challenges for Saif Ali Khan increased after the Madhya Pradesh High Court rejected his plea against a government's decision to divide his family's Rs 15,000 crore worth ancestral properties in Bhopal as 'enemy property.' The proceedings are registered in a 2014 notice issued by the Custodian of Enemy Property Department, which declared the Pataudi family's assets in Bhopal under the Enemy Property Act. Some of the properties including in the ruling are Saif's childhood home Flag Staff House, the Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Dar-Us-Salam, Bungalow of Habibi, Ahmedabad Palace, Kohefiza Property, among others. The Enemy Property Act allows the government to seize control of properties belonging to persons who migrated to Pakistan after the Partition. ALSO READ | Inside Saif Ali Khan's Rs 800 crore Pataudi Palace that sprawls across 10 acres: 150 rooms, lush gardens designed by the man behind Delhi's Connaught Place Saif had fought against the declaration in 2015 and got a temporary stay from the High Court. But, the court lifted the stay on December 13, 2024. In the latest order, they gave Saif and his family 30 days to approach and claim their rights back over the properties, but no claim has been filed within the allotted period. The Nawab of Bhopal, Hamidullah Khan, had three daughters. One of them, Abida Sultan, migrated to Pakistan, while others stayed in India. Saif is the grandson of the Abida's sister Sajida Sultan who remained in India, but the government is citing the migrant daughter as grounds to take control of the properties. On the work front, Saif Ali Khan was last seen in the Netflix film Jewel Thief. He will next appear in the fourth installment of his action-thriller franchise, Race. Additionally, he also has a film with Akshay Kumar titled Haiwaan, directed by Priyadarshan.
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Saif Ali Khan faces setback as his ancestral Bhopal properties declared 'Enemy Property', High Court rejects plea
Saif Ali Khan has found himself back in legal crosshairs as the Madhya Pradesh High Court recently rejected his long-pending plea challenging the government's decision to label his family's ancestral properties in Bhopal as 'enemy property. ' The controversy dates back to a 2014 notice from the Custodian of Enemy Property Department, which brought the Pataudi family estates under the purview of the Enemy Property Act, effectively deeming them assets of a foreign national and subject to government control. In the recent turn of events, the Madhya Pradesh Hifh Court has overturned a 25-year-old ruling by a local trial court and ordered a complete retrial of the case. The court's latest directive mandates that the matter be re-examined from the beginning, with instructions to the trial court to conclude proceedings within one year. The appeal was brought forth by the descendants of Nawab Hamidullah Khan, who objected to a previous verdict that had allocated the royal estate solely to Sajida Sultan—Hamidullah Khan's daughter from his senior wife and the great-grandmother of actor Saif Ali Khan. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why seniors are rushing to get this Internet box – here's why! Techno Mag Learn More Undo The opposing heirs have maintained that the estate division should adhere to principles of Muslim Personal Law, rather than what they see as an unjust concentration of wealth in one descendant's lineage. This ruling could potentially reshape the distribution of the storied Bhopal estate, rekindling one of India's most high-profile royal property battles. Saif had challenged this classification in 2015 and obtained a temporary stay. However, on December 13, 2024, the High Court not only vacated that stay but also rejected his plea. The court gave the family 30 days to appeal to the designated tribunal, but with no appeal filed within the deadline, the Bhopal district administration is now legally empowered to begin taking over the contested properties. The crux of this conflict lies in the Enemy Property Act, enacted in 1958 and reinforced after the 1965 Indo-Pak war. The law allows the government to appropriate the assets of those who migrated to Pakistan or China and renounced Indian citizenship. The Pataudi properties fall under scrutiny due to Saif's great-grandmother, Abida Sultan—eldest daughter of Nawab Hamidullah Khan—who moved to Pakistan post-Partition and relinquished her Indian citizenship.
News18
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Saif Ali Khan Faces Setback As MP High Court Reopens Bhopal Royal Inheritance Case
Last Updated: The court was responding to an appeal by heirs of Nawab Hamidullah Khan who challenged the earlier property distribution In a significant development in the long-standing Bhopal royal family inheritance dispute, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has overturned a 25-year-old ruling by a Bhopal trial court, ordering the case to be heard afresh. The court was responding to an appeal by heirs of Nawab Hamidullah Khan, who challenged the earlier property distribution that favoured Sajida Sultan, the Nawab's daughter from his senior wife and great-grandmother of actor Saif Ali Khan. The original decision had awarded the ancestral estate to Sajida Sultan, but the other heirs have since contested this, arguing that the division should follow Muslim Personal Law. The High Court has now directed the trial court to restart the proceedings from scratch and conclude the hearing within one year. The move could potentially reshape the inheritance structure of the Bhopal royal family, reigniting one of the most high-profile property disputes in recent memory. Court Earlier Dismissed Saif's Petition Actor Saif Ali Khan faces renewed legal trouble after the Madhya Pradesh High Court dismissed his long-standing petition against a government move to classify his family's ancestral properties in Bhopal as 'enemy property." The matter, rooted in a 2014 notice issued by the Custodian of Enemy Property Department, declared the Pataudi family's assets in Bhopal as falling under the Enemy Property Act. Saif had contested the declaration in 2015 and secured a temporary stay from the High Court. However, in a major blow delivered on December 13, 2024, the court lifted the stay, dismissing his challenge. In its recent order, the court gave Saif and his family 30 days to approach the appellate tribunal to reclaim their rights over the property, but no claim has been filed within the stipulated time. With the deadline now expired, the properties are legally eligible for government acquisition, and the Bhopal district administration may initiate the takeover process. What Is Enemy Property? The Enemy Property Act, enacted in 1958 and expanded after the 1965 India-Pakistan war, allows the Indian government to seize assets of individuals who migrated to Pakistan or China and ceased to be Indian citizens. Under this law, 'enemy property" includes land, buildings, and other holdings that once belonged to such individuals. The Pataudi estate is entangled in this legislation due to Saif's great-grandmother, Abida Sultan—daughter of Nawab Hamidullah Khan, the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal—who moved to Pakistan after Partition and renounced her Indian citizenship. Saif Ali Khan is a direct descendant of the Nawab through Abida Sultan's sister, Sajida Sultan. This ongoing dispute, coupled with a fresh court mandate in the separate Bhopal royal inheritance case, adds yet another legal layer to the complex legacy of the Pataudi family.
