Days after attack on Saif Ali Khan, now another 'enemy' at royal property gates eyeing assets worth Rs 10000 crore

Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan is currently facing a challenging time, not only due to a recent knife attack at his Mumbai home but also because of an ongoing legal dispute concerning his ancestral property. This dispute involves the properties of the erstwhile royal family of Bhopal, of which Saif is a prominent member. The estimated value of these properties is over Rs 10,000 crore, and the matter has resurfaced following a recent Madhya Pradesh High Court order.

The Property Dispute
The properties in question include significant landmarks in Bhopal such as the Flag Staff House, the luxury hotel Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, the Dar-Us-Salam residential property, the bungalow of Habibi, and the Ahmedabad Palace. Apart from these, there is also land in various other locations.

The case traces back to a letter from the Custodian of Enemy Property, a central government body, sent to Saif in December 2014. The letter cited Section 11 of the Enemy Property Act 1968, which allows the government to claim properties of individuals who migrated to Pakistan after Partition or adopted Chinese citizenship. The legal focus was on Abida Sultan, the eldest daughter of the last Nawab of Bhopal, Hamidullah Khan. Abida had moved to Pakistan in 1950, making her a potential reason for the properties to be declared as "Enemy Properties."

Abida Sultan was the elder sister of Saif’s grandmother, Sajida Sultan. When Nawab Hamidullah Khan passed away, the Indian government recognized Sajida as his successor. Sajida married Iftikhar Ali Khan, the Nawab of Pataudi, and their son was Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, Saif’s father.

The Legal Battle
In 2015, the Custodian of Enemy Property classified all properties owned by Hamidullah Khan as 'Enemy Properties' and asked the Madhya Pradesh government to take possession of them. Saif, along with his mother Sharmila Tagore and aunt Sabiha Sultan, challenged this order in the MP High Court, securing a stay on the Custodian’s decision.

However, on December 13, 2024, the MP High Court lifted this stay, potentially allowing the properties to be acquired under the Enemy Property Act. Justice Vivek Agarwal advised the petitioners to approach the Union Ministry of Home Affairs within 30 days. Saif filed an application on January 8, 2025, but his advocate, Aishvary Vikram, declined to comment on the matter.

The Historical and Legal Context
The royal state of Bhopal was one of the most significant Muslim princely states in India, second only to Hyderabad. It was granted a 19-gun salute by the British during colonial rule. Hamidullah Khan, the last Nawab of Bhopal, had three daughters, with Abida being the eldest. When she moved to Pakistan, Sajida Sultan was named the official heir by the Indian government.

The petitioners argued that the Custodian's order violated the Bhopal Merger Agreement, which protected the personal properties of the ruler from being questioned. The agreement also included specific protections for large farms, stating they would remain unaffected by changes in property laws.

The MP High Court case also referenced a 1999 Bhopal district court ruling, which declared Sajida Sultan as the sole inheritor of Hamidullah Khan’s properties, further challenging the Custodian's decision.

A New Twist: The Rampur Ruling
The situation is further complicated by a 2019 Supreme Court ruling related to Rampur, another princely state. The court had ruled that the properties of erstwhile rulers should be treated as personal properties and distributed according to Muslim personal law. This ruling suggested that all legal heirs should receive their rightful share, potentially including Abida Sultan, whose share might then be claimed by the Custodian as Enemy Property.

This precedent prompted some Bhopal royal family members to demand a similar division of Bhopal properties under Shariat law. Advocate Aadil Singh Boparai, representing other descendants of Hamidullah Khan, mentioned that their case has been reserved for judgment at the MP High Court.

What’s Next?
The Bhopal district administration has not yet acted on the court's order. According to District Magistrate Kaushlendra Vikram Singh, the authorities are still examining the situation. The decision now lies with the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, who will determine whether the Custodian's order is legally valid.

The outcome of this case could significantly impact the fate of the royal properties and Saif Ali Khan's inheritance. As the legal battle continues, all eyes remain on the government and judicial authorities to see how this high-stakes property dispute will unfold.