The ownership of properties worth Rs 15,000 crore, belonging to the erstwhile rulers of Bhopal and now inherited by actor Saif Ali Khan and his family, remains uncertain. The matter hinges on an appeal against an order by the Office of the Custodian of Enemy Property for India, which could see the properties transferred to the Centre if left unchallenged, according to legal experts.
The properties were declared "Enemy Property" in a 2015 order by the Custodian of Enemy Property, citing the migration of Nawab Muhammad Hamidullah Khan's eldest daughter, Abida Sultan Begum, to Pakistan after Partition. Under the Enemy Property Act, properties owned by individuals who moved to Pakistan were vested with the Custodian of Enemy Property for India. This declaration was challenged in the Madhya Pradesh High Court by Saif’s mother, Sharmila Tagore, and other family members.
In a December 13, 2024, hearing, the Madhya Pradesh High Court dismissed the petitions, directing the family to file an appeal with the Mumbai-based Office of the Custodian of Enemy Property within 30 days. Justice Vivek Agrawal clarified that if the appeal was filed within the timeframe, the issue of limitation would not arise, allowing the appellate authority to consider the matter on its merits.
Lawyers, however, remain uncertain if the family has filed the appeal. Advocate Jagdish Chhavani cited a 1962 order by the Government of India, which recognized Nawab Hamidullah’s second daughter, Sajida Sultan Begum, as the sole successor after Abida’s migration to Pakistan. The properties subsequently passed to Sajida’s son, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi (Tiger Pataudi), and later to Saif Ali Khan.
The properties in question include notable landmarks like Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Dar-Us-Salam, and Flag Staff House. Advocate Chhavani suggested that the Khan family could still request an extension for filing an appeal, citing recent exigencies, including the attack on Saif Ali Khan at his Mumbai residence.
The uncertainty surrounding the ownership has left the fate of many occupants of these properties in limbo, including owners and tenants. The Enemy Property Act, enacted after the 1965 India-Pakistan war, governs such properties left behind by individuals who migrated to Pakistan. The situation continues to draw attention as the Khan family deliberates their next legal steps.