Saif Ali Khan loses claim to Rs 15,000 crore Bhopal property as court declares it enemy property

Saif Ali Khan loses claim to Rs 15,000 crore Bhopal property as court declares it enemy property

In a significant legal blow to Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has ruled that his family's sprawling ancestral estate in Bhopal, valued at an estimated Rs 15,000 crore, falls under the purview of "enemy property." This decision means that Saif, his mother Sharmila Tagore, and sisters Soha and Saba Ali Khan cannot inherit the property.

The judgment comes after years of legal wrangling over the ownership of the royal assets. The roots of the case trace back to 2014, when the Custodian of Enemy Property classified the assets of the Bhopal royal family as enemy property under the Enemy Property Act. This law, originally enacted in 1950 and later amended, empowers the Indian government to seize properties belonging to individuals who migrated to enemy nations, notably Pakistan.

Central to the case is Saif's great-grandmother, Abida Sultan, daughter of Nawab Hamidullah Khan, the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal. Abida Sultan migrated to Pakistan in 1950 and renounced her Indian citizenship. The government's classification is based on this move, arguing that since she left for Pakistan, her share of the estate—and by extension, the entire property—falls under the Enemy Property Act.

While a trial court in 2000 had earlier recognized Saif and his family as rightful heirs, the decision was challenged by other family members. They contended that inheritance should follow Muslim Personal Law, under which Abida Sultan's migration disqualified her and her descendants from succession.

Saif Ali Khan obtained a temporary stay order in 2015 to prevent government takeover. However, in December 2024, the High Court dismissed his plea and lifted the stay. The family was granted a 30-day window to appeal the decision, but no appeal was filed, paving the way for the government to proceed.

The High Court has now directed the trial court to resume hearings and reach a final verdict within a year. Meanwhile, the Bhopal district administration is set to initiate the formal process of taking control of the estate, marking a pivotal development in this high-profile property dispute.