Ancestral properties worth ₹15,000 crore, situated in Bhopal and belonging to Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan and his family, would be lost as the same properties have been declared as "enemy property" by the Indian government. It is in pursuance of the Enemy Property Act, which enables the government to seize the properties of those individuals who migrated to Pakistan or China after Partition.

Historic Background of the Properties

The relevant properties in Flag Staff House and Ahmedabad Palace in Bhopal belonged to Nawab Muhammad Hamidullah Khan. He was the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal and died in the year 1960. His natural heir was his eldest daughter Abida Sultan Begum but she had migrated to Pakistan at Partition. Since this meant that the properties of Pakistani nationals were declared enemy property according to the law in India, she did in fact turn out to be the enemy property holder. Subsequently, her daughter Sharmila Tagore and her son Saif Ali Khan became the legal heirs of these properties.

What is enemy property?

The enemy property means the property belonging to those citizens who migrated to the enemy countries either before or after partition. The Enemy Property Act, which was enacted for the first time in 1968 and was later amended in 2017, allows the state to take over such properties. In the process, it is considered that even the ancestral properties must have fallen under the purview of this Act in certain cases of the families.

Current Situation and Legal Issues

In 2015, the Custodian of Enemy Property for India declared the Bhopal properties as enemy property, although their inheritance was sealed decades ago. The order was challenged by Sharmila Tagore on court grounds. In December 2024, the Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered the family to file an appeal. In this light, the appeal window gets shut in the next few days, and with a judgment going against them, the family will forfeit those properties forever. The approximate value of the properties is ₹15,000 crores and is considered one of the largest disputes under the Enemy Property Act.

Financial and Cultural Value

The financial disaster of such a loss not only for Saif Ali Khan and his family but it would also put an end to a legacy associated with the Pataudi and Bhopal royal family. Saif Ali Khan, popularly known as the "Nawab of Pataudi," makes no bones about the fact that he is proud of his family heritage. He went further to buy over the Pataudi Palace, which a few had sold off, an effort which saw him at the forefront of keeping alive his family legacy. A loss to the Bhopal properties would mean that the history and culture would be lost.

Conclusion

As the appeal deadline draws closer, the Saif Ali Khan family is racing against time in trying to retain some of the priceless ancestral holdings. The assumption of these properties by the State brings to an end a huge chapter for the Pataudi family, whose history stretches back almost as long as the concept of India itself. The government may also allow him some extra time looking at his recent attack.