Indian actor Saif Ali Khan has faced a big news after returning from the hospital after recovering, which has put him in a big problem.
According to Indian media, there is a fear that the historical properties of Saif Ali Khan’s family “Patudi family” will be taken over by the government, which have a total value of 15 thousand crore Indian rupees.
In an important decision, the Madhya Pradesh High Court of India has lifted the ban imposed on these properties in 2015, which has potentially paved the way for the seizure of these properties under the Enemy Property Act 1968.
Under the Enemy Property Act, the government can take control of the Patudi family’s property worth 15 thousand crore rupees in Bhopal.
The Pataudi family’s historic properties include Flagstaff House, where Saif Ali Khan spent his childhood, along with Noor-ul-Sabah Palace, Dar-ul-Salaam, Habibi’s Bungalow, Ahmedabad Palace, Kohefzah Property and others.
Justice Vivek Agarwal, while pronouncing the order, said that there is a legal remedy under the amended Enemy Property Act 2017, and directed the parties concerned to file representations within 30 days. The court added that “if any representation is filed within 30 days from today, the appellate authority will not point out the aspect of limitation and will dispose of the appeal on its merits.”
The Enemy Property Act allows the central government to claim ownership of individuals who migrated to Pakistan after Partition.
According to Indian media reports, Hamidullah Khan, the last Nawab of Bhopal, had three daughters. His eldest, Abida Sultan, migrated to Pakistan in 1950. The second daughter, Sajida Sultan, remained in India, married Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, and became the legal heir.
Sajida’s grandson, Saif Ali Khan, inherited a share of the properties. However, Abida Sultan’s migration became the focus of the government’s claim of “enemy ownership” over the properties.
In 2019, a court recognised Sajida Sultan as the legal heir, but a recent ruling has reignited the family’s property dispute.
Bhopal Collector Koshlander Vikram Singh announced plans to examine ownership records of these properties over the past 72 years. He said that people living on these lands could be considered tenants under the state’s leasing laws.
The government’s potential takeover has left 1.5 lakh residents in a state of anxiety. Many fear eviction as the government moves forward with plans to survey and determine ownership.
“The stay has been lifted, but it is complicated to merge these properties under the Enemy Property Act. The Pataudi family still has the opportunity to appeal,” said Samar Khan, a resident.
Another resident, Chand Mian, expressed concern, saying, “We pay taxes, but there is no registry of our houses. The leases of the Nawabs should still be established.”
“The government is claiming these properties, but they have been sold or leased for many years. This matter is not straightforward,” said Naseem Khan, a resident of the area.
The situation is complicated and while the legal avenues are still open for the Pataudi family, the fate of these historic properties is still up in the air.
