MP govt may seize Pataudi family’s ₹15,000 crore property in Bhopal

Actor Saif Ali Khan’s ancestral property of Pataudi family is likely to lose ₹15,000 worth palaces in Bhopal after a potential government takeover under the Enemy Property Act, 1968, reports suggest.

The move follows a significant ruling by the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which recently lifted a stay imposed on these properties since 2015.

The Enemy Property Act of 1968 is a law passed by the Indian Parliament to regulate and appropriate property in India owned by Pakistani nationals. The act was passed after the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War.

Which properties are under scrutiny?

According to reports, Pataudi properties currently under legal examination include the iconic Flag Staff House, Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Dar-Us-Salam, Habibi Bungalow, Ahmedabad Palace, and Kohefiza Property. Of particular significance is Flag Staff House, which holds sentimental value for Saif Ali Khan, a descendant of the Pataudi family, as it was his childhood home.

A court ruling highlighted that a legal remedy exists under the amended Enemy Property Act of 2017, as per reports. He instructed the concerned parties to file a representation within 30 days, noting that if a representation is submitted within this period, the appellate authority will not consider the issue of limitation and will address the appeal based on its merits.

Pataudi property dispute

The dispute surrounding the Pataudi estate traces back to the migration of Bhopal’s last Nawab, Hamidullah Khan’s eldest daughter, Abida Sultan, to Pakistan in 1950, as per reports . However, his second daughter, Sajida Sultan, stayed in India, married Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, and became the rightful heir. As a result, Sajida’s grandson, Saif Ali Khan, inherited a share of these properties.

A 2019 court ruling recognised Sajida Sultan as the legal heir, but the recent decision has reignited the property dispute. The Bhopal Collector, Kaushalendra Vikram Singh, announced plans to review ownership records over the past 72 years and suggested that current residents might be reclassified as tenants under state leasing laws.

This development has sparked concerns among approximately 1,50,000 residents living on these lands. Many fear potential displacement as the government begins surveys to determine property ownership. Local residents have expressed worries about taxation without proper records and questioned the validity of old leases.

The Pataudi family still has the option to appeal, leaving the final fate of these historic properties uncertain.