Saif’s ₹15,000-crore ancestral property in MP may be seized by govt!

Film actor Saif Ali Khan’s family is facing a crisis over their crore-rupee property. This is because the option to file an appeal before the appellate tribunal, which was granted by the High Court earlier, was not utilized within the stipulated 30-day period. As a result, the High Court’s 2015 injunction has been lifted.

With this, the Bhopal district administration is now free to take possession of the properties, and they may initiate this process at any time. However, Saif’s family still has the option to file an appeal before the division bench of the High Court. The case dates back to December 13, when the High Court had dismissed Saif Ali Khan’s petition, giving him the opportunity to file an appeal within 30 days. Since this was not done, the petition was dismissed, and the injunction from the High Court became ineffective, putting the family’s properties in jeopardy.

What is the whole story

The dispute over the property of Saif Ali Khan, a renowned actor and son of famous cricketer Nawab Pataudi, began in Bhopal due to an ordinance. The ordinance clearly stated that no act concerning the heirs of the Pataudi family would apply to their properties. This led to fears among those who had bought land from the Nawab family, as they worried about being declared encroachers if the land was reclaimed.

After the death of Nawab Hamidullah Khan in 1960, his daughter Abida Sultan was the rightful heir to the property. However, she had moved to Pakistan before 1950, and following this, the Indian government issued a Gazette notification declaring that Nawab Hamidullah Khan’s second daughter, Sabia Sultan, would inherit the title of Nawab of Bhopal. Those who had purchased land were concerned about losing it under this ordinance and being declared encroachers. Saif Ali Khan had challenged a 2014 notice from the Enemy Property Department, which had declared his property as enemy property.

Previous High Court Order: In the past, the single bench of Justice Vivek Agarwal had directed actress Sharmila Tagore, Saif Ali Khan, and Sabia Sultan to present a representation to the central government regarding enemy property. The court had stated that if the representation was made within 30 days, it would be resolved on its merits. However, as this was not done, the court dismissed the petition, making the injunction ineffective and putting the family’s property at risk.

During the hearings, it was argued that the petitioners had submitted representations to the administration, but since no action was taken, they had filed a petition in the High Court. The Deputy Solicitor General, Pushpendra Yadav, informed the court that in 2017, amendments were made to the Enemy Property Act of 1968, allowing affected parties to submit representations to the central government. The petitioners still had the option to approach the appropriate forum for relief. After hearing the arguments, the High Court dismissed the petition with the above directions.