Saif Ali Khan’s ₹15,000 crore ancestral property declared ‘Enemy Property ‘by the court.
In a set back for Saif Ali Khan , the Madhya pradesh state High court has rejected the actor’s long standing plea challenging the government’s decision to label his ₹15,000 caror ancestral property in the state as Enemy Property .
The High court set aside a trial court’s order of year 2000 that deemed Saif Ali Khan , his sisters soha and saba and his mother sharmila Tagore as the successor to the ancestral properties.
Background of the Enemy Property case , whoes property is this ?
- The property in the question belongs to the Royal family of Bhopal, inherited through Begam sajida sultan, the Grand mother of Saif Ali Khan and wife of Mansoor Ali Khan pataudi.
- The family has several palatial properties in bhopal, including
- Flag staff house
- Noor- us- subah palace (now converted into luxury hotel)
- Dar- us- salam
- Habibiha bangalow
- Ahemdabad palace
- Kohefiza property
- These assets were passed down from the last Nawab of the Bhopal . The issue began when some of these properties were classified as enemy property by the Indian government under a special law.
Why did Saif Ali Khan approched to the Madhya pradesh High court for the Enemy Property case ?
- In 1947, Bhopal was ruled by Nawab Hamid Ullah khan , Who had 3 daughters .
- Nawab’s eldest daughter abida sultan, migrated to Pakistan in 1950.
- Nawab’s second daughter sajida sultan stayed in India and merried Iftikhar Ali Khan pataudi who played cricket for both India and England and whose son was Mansoor Ali Khan pataudi called tiger pataudi.
- Sajida’s grandson and Tiger pataudi ‘s son Saif Ali Khan inherited a share of properties in the Bhopal.
- However,the migration of abida sultan become the focus of the government’s claim to the properties as enemy property .
- In 2014, custodian of enemy property department declared the pataudi family s properties in bhopal as the enemy property .
- Saif Ali Khan challanged the custodian notice.
- In 2016, the ordinance was issued explicitly stating that heirs would have no rights over these enemy properties.
What is enemy property ?
- Enemy property refers to the assets , both movable and immovable , left behind in india by individuals who migrated to countries designated as enemy nation during time of conflicts.
- Following the war between India and Pakistan in 1965vand 1971, indian government assumed control of properties and businesses own by those who adopted the nationality of Pakistan.
- Under the Defence of India Rules, formulated under the Defence of India act, 1962 these properties vested with the custodian of the enemy property for India.
- The custodian is tasked with manageing these assets in the behalf of the Indian government.
How many enemy properties are there in India?
- On January 2, 2018 then minister for the state for Home Hansraj Ahir told loksabha that a total 9280 enemy properties had been left behind by Pakistani nationals and 126 by Chinese nationals.
- In November 2018, Union cabinet approved the procedure to sell enemy shares worth more than ₹ 3000 caror.
- In 2020, the group of ministers headed by Union Home minister Shri Amit Shah began monitoring the disposal of more than 9400 enemy properties , which the government estimated is worth above ₹ 1 lakh caror.
The legal cases related to Saif Ali Khan’s ancestral property?
2000: lower court decision on Saif Ali Khan’s ancestral property
- The civil court in Bhopal ruled that Sajida sultan and by extension, Saif Ali Khan, his mother sharmila Tagore and his sisters soha and saba ali khan were the right full hairs under Muslim personal law.
2014 : Government declared enemy property
- Despite the civil court rulling, the central government issued the notification in 2014 declaring these properties as enemy property overriding the civil court judgment.
2015: Saif Ali Khan appeals the government notification
- Saif got a stay order from the High court against the 2014 notification.
December 2024: stay vacated
- The High court vacated the stay and gave the family 30 days to challenge the enemy property classification through a tribunal.
June 30 2025: Madhyapradesh High court’s latest decision
- Overruled the 2000 lower court judgment.
- Overruled the retrial to determine rightful succession based on inheritance law and citizenship.
- Upheld the 2014 government notification, classifying the enemy property.
- Stated that no claims was filled within the given 30 days, allowing the government to take over these properties.
What will happen next ?
- Retrial on succession rights
- The High court ordered that the trial court must conclude the fresh hearing within one year by mid 2026.
- This will determine whether sajida sultan or abida sultan had the stronger claim under the inheritance law.
What happened to enemy properties of Pakistan?
- Many people migrated to India and take nationality of India and their properties in that day pakistan including today’s Bangladesh became enemy properties.
- Pakistan government after creation of Pakistan sold all enemy properties that time itself.