Jabalpur/Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh — Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan and his family have been caught in a high-stakes legal dispute over ancestral real estate in Bhopal and Raisen valued at nearly ₹15,000 crore. The case has attracted attention not only due to its sheer scale but also because of its intersection with the controversial Enemy Property Act, 1968.
Background: The Pataudi–Bhopal Legacy
- This dispute originates from the estate of Nawab Hamidullah Khan, the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal, who passed away on February 4, 1960.
- His eldest daughter, Abida Sultan, migrated to Pakistan in 1950, triggering a legal chain reaction: the Indian government later invoked the Enemy Property Act, claiming properties belonging to those who migrated to Pakistan.
The Legal Train
- 2000 – A Bhopal trial court ruled in favor of the Pataudi-Bhopal heirs—Sajida Sultan, her son Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, and the younger generation including Saif, Soha, and Saba—granting them full inheritance.
- 2015 – The Indian government, via the Custodian of Enemy Property, declared these properties as “enemy property”; Saif and family contested the decision and initially won a stay.
- 2020s – Several court rulings, including a critical government directive from 2015 invoking amendments to the Enemy Property Act, prompted fresh reviews .
High Court’s June 30, 2025 Decision
- Madhya Pradesh High Court bench led by Justice Sanjay Dwivedi set aside the original trial court judgment, citing reliance on an outdated precedent subsequently overruled by India’s Supreme Court.
- The High Court has ordered a complete retrial in Bhopal’s civil court, mandating that the case be resolved within a year.
- It further rejected Saif’s challenge to the classification of the properties as “enemy property” under the Enemy Property Act, directing the family to present representations before the MHA appellate authority.
Implications for Saif Ali Khan
- A senior advocate suggests Saif might end up with only 2–3% of the estate, if at all.
- Key properties in dispute include Flag Staff House, Noor‑us‑Saba Palace, Dar‑us‑Salam, Ahmedabad Palace, and more.
- With the previous stay lifted and the one-year deadline in place, ownership hangs in the balance—potentially favoring the government, including claims from other family heirs .
• What began as a matrimonial and inheritance legacy among Nawabs has escalated into one of India’s most significant legal battles over royal property. With ₹15,000 crore at stake and both historical precedence and modern law clashing, Saif Ali Khan and his family find themselves at a critical legal juncture—where decisions made in the next 12 months could redefine the future of their inheritance and the legacy of Bhopal’s princely dynasty.
