Saif Ali Khan ₹15,000 crore ancestral property declared ‘Enemy Property’

Madhya Pradesh High Court has upheld the Indian government’s decision to declare Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan’s ancestral property in Bhopal as “Enemy Property”, putting his claim to assets worth ₹15,000 crore at serious risk.

According to Indian media, the government in 2014 moved to seize the Pataudi family’s Bhopal estates, citing the Enemy Property Act — a law allowing seizure of properties owned by individuals who migrated to Pakistan after Partition. Saif obtained a stay order in 2015, but the court has now ruled in the government’s favour.

The affected properties include:

• Flag Staff House (Saif’s childhood home)
• Noor-us-Sabah Palace
• Dar-us-Salam, Ahmedabad Palace, Habibia Bungalow, and others

Family Background:

The estates originally belonged to Nawab Hamidullah Khan, the last Nawab of Bhopal. His elder daughter Abida Sultan migrated to Pakistan in 1950, while his younger daughter Sajida Sultan remained in India and married into the Pataudi family. Saif Ali Khan, her grandson, inherited the properties.

The government based its claim on Abida Sultan’s migration, despite Saif being the descendant of Sajida, who never left India.

Court Action:

The High Court has also referred the matter back to the trial court to decide whether the inheritance belongs solely to Sajida Sultan’s family or includes other heirs under Muslim personal law.

This verdict could strip Saif Ali Khan of one of the largest royal inheritances in India.