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Express Tribune
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Enemy of the state?
In a decisive turn in the decades-old Bhopal royal inheritance battle, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has scrapped a 25-year-old trial court ruling that had recognised Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan and his family as rightful inheritors of the royal properties of the erstwhile Nawab of Bhopal. According to Hindustan Times, Justice Sanjay Dwivedi has now ordered the trial court to initiate fresh proceedings and resolve the matter within a year. "After this order, Saif Ali Khan and his family - his two sisters and mother - cannot claim ownership over the Bhopal property. The court will now decide, after hearing all parties, what share, if any, they are entitled to," said senior advocate Jagdish Chavan, who had previously represented Saif's father, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. At the heart of the dispute is the estate of Hamidullah Khan, the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal and Saif's great-grandfather. The vast inheritance includes thousands of acres around Bhopal and prominent properties like the Flag Staff House, Noorus Sabah Palace Hotel, Darus Salam, and Ahmedabad Palace. Inheritance battle The legal challenge comes after decades of tension within the royal family. The controversy intensified in December, 2014 when the Enemy Property Department launched an inquiry into how the Pataudi family acquired the royal estate. A complaint alleged that the property should have been designated as "enemy property", a classification under the Enemy Property Act, 1968, which empowers the government to seize assets belonging to individuals who migrated to Pakistan after Partition. Saif had contested this inquiry. The recent High Court intervention stems from a challenge filed in 2000 by other descendants of the Nawab, questioning the legitimacy of Sajida Sultan - Saif's grandmother - as the sole successor. The district court had originally upheld her claim in 2000, based on the Bhopal Succession to the Throne Act, 1947, and a government notification recognising her succession. According to Chavan, under the succession law, the estate would pass to the eldest son, and in the absence of one, to the eldest daughter, Abida Sultan. "If one goes by the succession act, Abida was the successor. But she was a resident of Pakistan and hence, the property would have simply been declared as enemy property," he said. Abida had migrated to Pakistan in 1950, a decade before the Nawab's death in 1960. The crown then passed to Sajida, the second daughter, who was married to Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi. "At the time, Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister and shared a friendship with Iftikhar Ali Khan, Saif's grandfather. So, a year after the death of Nawab Hamidullah Khan, his second daughter, Sajida Sultan, after Abida Sultanwas made the successor," Chavan said. Long history Although the initial transition went uncontested for some years, partly because all heirs received a privy purse, or royal allowance, conflict surfaced after Indira Gandhi abolished privy purses and royal titles in the 1970s. Maimoona Sultan, the Nawab's senior wife, and their third daughter, Rabiya Sultan, subsequently filed a partition suit under Muslim Personal Law in 1971, seeking division of assets and financial accounting. They weren't alone. Another suit came from descendants of Obaidullah Khan, Nawab Hamidullah's elder brother. These cases culminated in the 2000 district court judgment, which upheld Sajida Sultan's exclusive claim, relying heavily on the now-overruled Talat Fatima Hasan judgement, also known as the State of Rampur case. The Rampur dispute had similarly revolved around a princely inheritance and ultimately concluded that properties should be divided under Shariat law among all legal heirs. With that precedent no longer standing, Chavan says the Bhopal ruling's foundation has eroded. "The grounds for the 2000 district court order in the Bhopal royal property dispute became null and void, as the State of Rampur precedent no longer held," he said. The High Court's decision to reopen the case reflects this shift in judicial interpretation. "Saif Ali Khan, by my calculation, will receive only 2 to 3 per cent of the Nawab's property," said Chavan. "The family isn't left with much legal recourse now."
Express Tribune
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Why Saif Ali Khan's royal assets may slip to state custody
In a decisive turn in the decades-old Bhopal royal inheritance battle, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has scrapped a 25-year-old trial court ruling that had recognised Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan and his family as rightful inheritors of the royal properties of the erstwhile Nawab of Bhopal. According to Hindustan Times, Justice Sanjay Dwivedi has now ordered the trial court to initiate fresh proceedings and resolve the matter within a year. 'After this order, Saif Ali Khan and his family — his two sisters and mother — cannot claim ownership over the Bhopal property. The court will now decide, after hearing all parties, what share, if any, they are entitled to,' said senior advocate Jagdish Chavan, who had previously represented Saif's father, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. At the heart of the dispute is the estate of Hamidullah Khan, the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal and Saif's great-grandfather. The vast inheritance includes thousands of acres around Bhopal and prominent properties like the Flag Staff House, Noorus Sabah Palace Hotel, Darus Salam, and Ahmedabad Palace. Inheritance battle The legal challenge comes after decades of tension within the royal family. The controversy intensified in December, 2014 when the Enemy Property Department launched an inquiry into how the Pataudi family acquired the royal estate. A complaint alleged that the property should have been designated as 'enemy property', a classification under the Enemy Property Act, 1968, which empowers the government to seize assets belonging to individuals who migrated to Pakistan after Partition. Saif had contested this inquiry. The recent High Court intervention stems from a challenge filed in 2000 by other descendants of the Nawab, questioning the legitimacy of Sajida Sultan — Saif's grandmother — as the sole successor. The district court had originally upheld her claim in 2000, based on the Bhopal Succession to the Throne Act, 1947, and a government notification recognising her succession. According to Chavan, under the succession law, the estate would pass to the eldest son, and in the absence of one, to the eldest daughter, Abida Sultan. 'If one goes by the succession act, Abida was the successor. But she was a resident of Pakistan and hence, the property would have simply been declared as enemy property,' he said. Abida had migrated to Pakistan in 1950, a decade before the Nawab's death in 1960. The crown then passed to Sajida, the second daughter, who was married to Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi. 'At the time, Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister and shared a friendship with Iftikhar Ali Khan, Saif's grandfather. So, a year after the death of Nawab Hamidullah Khan, his second daughter, Sajida Sultan, after Abida Sultan—was made the successor,' Chavan said. Long history Although the initial transition went uncontested for some years, partly because all heirs received a privy purse, or royal allowance, conflict surfaced after Indira Gandhi abolished privy purses and royal titles in the 1970s. Maimoona Sultan, the Nawab's senior wife, and their third daughter, Rabiya Sultan, subsequently filed a partition suit under Muslim Personal Law in 1971, seeking division of assets and financial accounting. They weren't alone. Another suit came from descendants of Obaidullah Khan, Nawab Hamidullah's elder brother. These cases culminated in the 2000 district court judgment, which upheld Sajida Sultan's exclusive claim, relying heavily on the now-overruled Talat Fatima Hasan judgement, also known as the State of Rampur case. The Rampur dispute had similarly revolved around a princely inheritance and ultimately concluded that properties should be divided under Shariat law among all legal heirs. With that precedent no longer standing, Chavan says the Bhopal ruling's foundation has eroded. 'The grounds for the 2000 district court order in the Bhopal royal property dispute became null and void, as the State of Rampur precedent no longer held,' he said. The High Court's decision to reopen the case reflects this shift in judicial interpretation. 'Saif Ali Khan, by my calculation, will receive only 2 to 3 per cent of the Nawab's property,' said Chavan. 'The family isn't left with much legal recourse now.' Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.
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First Post
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- First Post
How did Saif Ali Khan inherit Nawab of Bhopal's Rs 15,000-cr properties? Has he lost them now?
Last week, the Madhya Pradesh High Court dismissed a decades-old trial court ruling that had made Saif Ali Khan, his mother and two sisters the sole legal heirs to the properties of the Nawab of Bhopal. As the case returns to the trial court, has the Bollywood actor and his family lost the royal properties worth over Rs 15,000 crore? read more Saif Ali Khan and his two sisters — Soha and Saba. Instagram/sabapataudi In a big blow for Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan and his kin, the Madhya Pradesh High Court last week set aside a decades-old trial court ruling that had made him, his two sisters and mother the sole legal heirs to the properties of the erstwhile Nawab of Bhopal. Their inheritance was challenged in an appeal by the heirs of Nawab Hamidullah Khan. Saif Ali Khan is also fighting a separate legal battle over these properties. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What is the case? How did Saif Ali Khan inherit the Bhopal royal properties? Let's take a closer look. Why Saif Ali Khan is an heir of Nawab of Bhopal's properties Saif Ali Khan and his family came to inherit the properties of the erstwhile Nawab of the Bhopal princely state from his father's mother, Sajida Begum. Sajida, the second daughter of Hamidullah Khan — the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal — became the legal heir of her father's properties after her elder sister Abida Begum migrated to Pakistan in 1950. Sajida then went on to inherit the Nawab title as well as properties estimated to be worth over Rs 15,000 crore. Sajida Sultan inherited the title of the Nawab of Bhopal. Wikimedia Commons Sajida Begum married Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, the Nawab of Pataudi. Their son was the popular cricketer, Mansoor Ali Khan 'Tiger Pataudi'. Mansoor and veteran actor Sharmila Tagore have three children — Saif, Soha, and Saba Ali Khan. Saif Ali Khan, the grandson of Sajida and the Nawab of Pataudi, inherited a share of the Bhopal properties. These include thousands of acres of land in and around Bhopal, along with estates such as Flag Staff House, Noor-Us-Sabah Palace Hotel, Dar-Us-Salam, and Ahmedabad Palace. The dispute over Bhopal royal properties A case was filed by other family members of Hamidullah Khan, including his third daughter, Rabia Begum, and his elder brother, Obaidullah Khan. Hamidullah Khan had two wives, Maimoona Sultan and Aftab Jahan. Maimoona and Khan had three daughters: Abida Sultan, Sajida Sultan, and Rabia Sultan. When the princely state of Bhopal merged with the Union of India in 1949, it was decided that the absolute ownership of the Nawab's personal property and the succession to the throne would be governed by the Bhopal Succession to the Throne Act, 1947. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Senior advocate Jagdish Chavan, who has represented Saif's father, told ThePrint that the Nawab's property would have gone to the eldest son as per the Bhopal Succession to the Throne Act. However, due to no male heir, Abida Sultan, the eldest daughter, would have inherited the throne and the property. 'If one goes by the succession act, Abida was the successor. But she was a resident of Pakistan and hence, the property would have simply been declared as enemy property,' Chavan said. Sajida Sultan's husband's political friendship helped her to inherit the Nawab title and Bhopal properties. 'At the time, Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister and shared a friendship with Iftikhar Ali Khan, the grandfather of Saif Ali Khan. So, a year after the death of Nawab Hamidullah Khan, his second daughter, Sajida Sultan—after Abida Sultan—was made the successor. Sajida was married to Iftikhar,' the advocate added. In the 1970s, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi abolished the privy purse, a payment made by the Indian government to the ruling families of former princely states as part of the merger of their states with India after Independence. Royal titles were also discontinued. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Following this, 'Maimoona Sultan and the third child, Rabiya Sultan, filed a partition suit and sought a rendition of accounts of the Nawab's property in the district court. They demanded partition under Muslim Personal Law (Shariat). This was in 1971,' Chavan told ThePrint. Obaidullah Khan, Hamidullah Khan's brother, who also received privy purses filed another suit. The family members of Hamidullah and his brother are seeking partition and succession of the Nawab's private properties as per the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Act, 1937. In 2000, the district court in Bhopal ruled on both suits. 'As per the judgment, according to the Bhopal Throne Succession Act, 1947, and Notification of the Government of India, Sajida Sultan remained the successor of the entire property of Hamidullah Khan and no partition based on Muslim law was recognised,' Chavan said. As the judgement was not in favour of the last ruling Nawab's other family members, they approached the Jabalpur bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court against the trial court's order. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The appellant heirs had argued in the High Court that the trial court incorrectly made the assumption that the Nawab's private properties were part of the throne and hence would automatically go to the successor to the throne, as per Indian Express. On June 30, the Madhya Pradesh High Court HC dismissed the 25-year-old trial court order that upheld Saif Ali Khan and his family as the rightful owners of the properties of the Nawab of Bhopal. It also directed 'the trial Court shall make all possible efforts to conclude and decide it expeditiously, preferably within a period of one year.' The High Court has now ordered a fresh trial. After the setback, advocate Chavan believes the Bollywood actor and his kin would only get a small part of the Bhopal royal assets. 'Saif Ali Khan, by my calculation, will receive only two to three per cent of the Nawab's property,' he was quoted as saying by the digital news outlet. 'The family isn't left with much legal recourse now.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What's the Enemy Properties case? The Bhopal royal properties that went to the Pataudi family were declared as ' enemy property' in 2014 by the Custodian of Enemy Property Department. The migration of Abida Sultan, the Nawab of Bhopal's heir apparent, to Pakistan was the government's basis for claiming the properties as 'enemy property.' Under the Enemy Property Act, 1968, the Indian government can seize the properties and companies of individuals who took Pakistani nationality. In 2015, the Pataudi family moved the MP High Court against the Custodian's notice. The HC put a temporary stay on the government's 'enemy property' order at the time. Four years later, the court recognised Sajida Sultan as the Nawab's legal heir. However, in January this year, the High Court dismissed Saif's petition and lifted the stay. It also asked the Bollywood actor to approach the appellate authority against the government order. It remains unclear whether Saif moved the tribunal by January 12. With inputs from agencies
News18
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Saif Ali Khan's Royal Property Claim Worth Rs 15000 Crore In Jeopardy: 5 Key Questions Answered
Last Updated: The decision has reignited a complex legal battle rooted in princely succession laws, post-Partition migration, and the controversial Enemy Property Act. Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan's claim to a sprawling ₹15,000 crore ancestral estate in Bhopal has hit a major legal roadblock. The Madhya Pradesh High Court has quashed a decades-old ruling that had earlier validated the Pataudi family's ownership of the royal properties inherited from the Nawab of Bhopal. The decision has reignited a complex legal battle rooted in princely succession laws, post-Partition migration, and the controversial Enemy Property Act. Here's what the case is about, and what the latest developments — five key questions answered: Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, along with his mother and two sisters, has been staking claim to a sprawling set of ancestral properties inherited from the erstwhile Nawab of Bhopal. These include high-value assets such as Noor-Us-Sabah Palace Hotel, Flag Staff House, and thousands of acres in and around Bhopal. The legitimacy of this claim, upheld by a trial court nearly 25 years ago, has now been thrown into question. What Has the Madhya Pradesh High Court Ruled? In a significant blow to the Pataudi family, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has overturned the 25-year-old order that validated their ownership of the Bhopal royal estate. Justice Sanjay Dwivedi has directed that the case be heard afresh by the trial court, with a mandate to resolve the matter within a year. Until then, Saif and his family cannot claim legal ownership of the properties. The challenge stems from both legal heirs of the Nawab's family and the Enemy Property Act, 1968. The latter empowers the government to seize properties of individuals who migrated to Pakistan after Partition. In 2015, the Enemy Property Department initiated an inquiry into how the Pataudi family was allowed to inherit what some allege should have been classified as 'enemy property." Saif Ali Khan had contested this probe. Who Were the Original Heirs and Why Is There a Dispute? The dispute traces back to Nawab Hamidullah Khan, the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal, who had three daughters—Abida Sultan, Sajida Sultan, and Rabia Sultan. As per the Bhopal Succession to the Throne Act, 1947, the eldest child was the rightful heir. But Abida Sultan migrated to Pakistan in 1950, ten years before the Nawab's death. Technically, that made the property liable for seizure under the Enemy Property Act. However, Sajida Sultan—Saif's grandmother—was declared the legal successor, reportedly due to her marriage to Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi and his close ties with then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. What Happens Next? With the High Court order wiping the legal slate clean, a district court will now re-examine the ownership claims in detail. The case reopens the long-standing rift within the Nawab family and brings fresh scrutiny to the political influence that shaped the royal succession in post-Independence India. Until a new verdict is reached, the Pataudi family's claim to the Bhopal estate remains legally unrecognized. First Published: July 07, 2025, 09:25 IST
The Print
06-07-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Saif Ali Khan will get only 2-3% share of Bhopal property, says lawyer who represented family
The properties originally belonged to Hamidullah Khan, Saif's great-grandfather and the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal. They include thousands of acres of land in and around Bhopal as well as estates such as Flag Staff House, Noor-Us-Sabah Palace Hotel, Dar-Us-Salam, and Ahmedabad Palace. 'After this order, Saif Ali Khan and his family—his two sisters and mother—cannot claim ownership over the Bhopal property. The court will now decide, after hearing all parties, what share, if any, they are entitled to,' said senior advocate Jagdish Chavan, who has represented Mansoor Ali Khan, Saif's father, in the past. New Delhi: In a major setback for Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan and his family, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has dismissed a 25-year-old trial court order that upheld the family as the rightful owners of properties inherited from the erstwhile Nawab of the Bhopal princely state. Justice Sanjay Dwivedi has also directed the trial court to begin fresh proceedings, instructing that the matter be resolved within a year. In 2015, the Enemy Property Department launched an inquiry into the transfer of Bhopal royal assets to the Pataudi family. A complaint alleged that the Nawab's property should have been classified as 'enemy property' but was instead recognised as private, allegedly due to the family's political connections. Saif Ali Khan had challenged the inquiry. Under the Enemy Property Act, 1968, the government is empowered to seize the properties of individuals who migrated to Pakistan after Partition. The Madhya Pradesh High Court intervention comes two decades after the district court's order was challenged by other heirs of Nawab Hamidullah in 2000. Rift in the family On 30 April 1949, the princely state of Bhopal merged with the Union of India. During the merger, it was agreed that the Nawab's personal property would be of their absolute ownership and that the succession of the Gaddi (throne) would be governed by the Bhopal Succession to the Throne Act, 1947. Hamidullah Khan had two wives, Maimoona Sultan and Aftab Jahan. The senior Begum, Maimoona Sultan, had three daughters: Abida Sultan, Sajida Sultan, and Rabia Sultan. Advocate Chavan, who has been following the case closely, said that as per the Bhopal Succession to the Throne Act, the property would go to the eldest son. But in case of no male heir, the throne and the property would go to the eldest daughter, who was Abida Sultan. But Abida migrated to Pakistan 10 years before the death of the Nawab in February 1960. 'If one goes by the succession act, Abida was the successor. But she was a resident of Pakistan and hence, the property would have simply been declared as enemy property,' Chavan said. But friendship and influence saved the day for Sajida Sultan. 'At the time, Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister and shared a friendship with Iftikhar Ali Khan, the grandfather of Saif Ali Khan. So, a year after the death of Nawab Hamidullah Khan, his second daughter, Sajida Sultan—after Abida Sultan—was made the successor. Sajida was married to Iftikhar,' said the advocate, who added that he knew the case like the back of his hand. As Sajida Sultan was made the successor, she retained the Nawab title and the Bhopal properties. However, in the 1970s, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi abolished the privy purse—a payment made to the ruling families of former princely states as part of the merger—and discontinued royal titles. And the family's internal rift came out into the open. Also read: 1 Nawab, 3 daughters. Why prime real estate Saif Ali Khan inherited was declared 'enemy property' The wrong precedent After Sajida Sultan was made the successor following the Nawab's death, the other heirs were disappointed. However, since all of them were receiving the privy purse, the matter never escalated, said advocate Chavan. 'But after the privy purse was discontinued, Maimoona Sultan and the third child, Rabiya Sultan, filed a partition suit and sought a rendition of accounts of the Nawab's property in the district court. They demanded partition under Muslim Personal Law (Shariat). This was in 1971,' Chavan said. Another suit was filed by the family of Nawab Hamdullah Khan's elder brother, Obaidullah Khan, who also received privy purses. In February 2000, the district court in Bhopal pronounced a judgment on both the suits. 'As per the judgment, according to Bhopal Throne Succession Act, 1947, and Notification of the Government of India, Sajida Sultan remained the successor of the entire property of Hamidullah Khan and no partition based on Muslim law was recognised,' said Chavan. In its 2000 order, the district court had relied on a now-overruled precedent set by the Talat Fatima Hasan case, also known as the State of Rampur case. Rampur was the first princely state to accede to India under Nawab Raza Ali in 1949. The case involved a five-decade-long dispute over the inheritance of the Nawab of Rampur's properties, worth Rs 2,650 crore. It ultimately resulted in the property being divided among all legal heirs, including women, in accordance with the Shariat law. 'The grounds for the 2000 district court order in the Bhopal royal property dispute became null and void, as the State of Rampur precedent no longer held,' said Chavan. The High Court has now ordered a fresh trial, keeping in view the evolving legal realities of the case. 'Saif Ali Khan, by my calculation, will receive only 2 to 3 per cent of the Nawab's property,' Chavan said. 'The family isn't left with much legal recourse now.' (Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)
