Court Reopens Dispute Over Pataudi Family’s Claim on Bhopal’s ‘Enemy Property’
Bhopal: In a major legal setback for actor Saif Ali Khan and the Pataudi family, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has rejected their long-pending plea against the government’s decision to label their ancestral property worth ₹15,000 crore as ‘enemy property’.
The court has overturned a 2000 trial court order that had recognised Saif, his sisters Soha and Saba Ali Khan, and mother Sharmila Tagore as the rightful successors of the Bhopal royal estate. The High Court has now ordered the trial court to re-examine the case afresh and directed it to complete proceedings within a year.
Properties Under Dispute
The properties in question include iconic estates such as:
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Kohefiza’s Flag House
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Ahmedabad Palace
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Dar-us-Salam
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Noor-e-Saba
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Kothi and Forest in Chiklod (Raisen)
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Other royal quarters and structures in Bhopal and Raisen
The Pataudi family has long claimed these properties as their ancestral inheritance from the erstwhile princely state of Bhopal.
Royal Lineage and Dispute
The dispute stems from the royal lineage of Nawab Hamidullah Khan, the last Nawab of Bhopal. He had three daughters:
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Abida Sultan (eldest) – migrated to Pakistan in 1950
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Sajida Sultan – remained in India, became the Nawab, and married Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi
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The third daughter, Rabia Sultan, and other descendants are also part of the broader claim
After the merger of Bhopal into the Indian Union on April 30, 1949, a written agreement allowed the Nawab’s special rights and personal property to continue under the Bhopal Throne Succession Act, 1947.
However, after Hamidullah Khan’s death in 1960, the Indian government eventually claimed that a portion of the estate should be considered ‘enemy property’ because Abida Sultan, one of his legal heirs, had settled in Pakistan.
Court’s Observations and Orders
The MP High Court found that the trial court erred in dismissing the Pataudi family’s claim based solely on a previous Allahabad High Court decision. It noted that:
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The Bhopal Throne Succession Act had been struck down by the Supreme Court post-merger
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The trial court failed to consider important legal aspects and Muslim Personal Law regarding inheritance
It has now instructed the lower court to rehear the entire case and examine both historical facts and legal frameworks independently.
Past Legal Developments
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In 2015, the Enemy Property Custodian Office in Mumbai declared the lands of the Nawab of Bhopal as government property
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The Pataudi family then approached the courts
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In 2019, a ruling recognised Sajida Sultan as the legal heir, making Saif Ali Khan her successor
However, Abida Sultan’s migration to Pakistan complicated matters, prompting the government to classify parts of the property under the Enemy Property Act.
What Lies Ahead
The fresh trial will now determine whether Saif Ali Khan and his family can legally reclaim their ancestral estates or if the government’s classification will hold. The case involves massive real estate across prime locations in Bhopal and Raisen.
The High Court’s latest order signals that the final word is yet to be said in this decades-old royal inheritance battle.
