Is the Indian government seizing Saif Ali Khan’s property?

BHOPAL: Uncertainty looms over the fate of Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan’s ₹15,000 crore property in Bhopal, as he recovers from a near-fatal stabbing at his home, according to Indian media reports.

A single-judge bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in Jabalpur recently dismissed Saif’s 2015 petition challenging a 2014 government notice that declared the Pataudi family’s properties as “enemy property.” The court, in its December 13, 2024, ruling, gave the family 30 days to appeal the decision before the appellate authority.

With none of the family members, including Saif Ali Khan or his mother Sharmila Tagore, filing an appeal within the deadline, the Bhopal district administration is now poised to take control of the properties. These properties, spread across Bhopal, include prime areas like Kohe Fiza and Chiklod.

Saif Ali Khan home from hospital days after knife attack

The family, however, can still approach a division bench of the High Court to contest the matter. Bhopal District Collector Kaushalendra Vikram Singh stated, “We will review the matter thoroughly. After consulting legal experts, we will act in accordance with the High Court’s order and relevant laws.”

The controversy began in 2014 when the Office of the Custodian of Enemy Property in Mumbai issued a notice designating the Pataudi properties as “enemy property.” A subsequent ordinance in 2016 clarified that heirs would have no legal claim to such properties.

Saif Ali Khan initially secured a stay from the High Court in 2015 after filing a petition against the 2014 notice. However, the stay was lifted after the court dismissed the petition in December 2024.

The dispute stems from the inheritance of Nawab Hamidullah Khan’s properties following his death in 1960. While his eldest daughter, Abida Sultan, was the primary heir, her migration to Pakistan in 1950 led to her younger sister, Sajida Sultan, being declared the successor. Sajida was married to Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, and their son, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, later inherited the estate. Saif Ali Khan reportedly became the heir after Mansoor Ali Khan’s death in 2011.

Now, the Bhopal district administration may initiate steps to claim the properties, marking a potential turning point in the long-standing dispute.