Court Rejects Saif Ali Khan's Plea Over Ancestral Property Labeling

In a setback for Saif Ali Khan, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has rejected the actor's plea challenging the government's decision to label his ancestral properties in the state as 'enemy property'. The High Court set aside a trial court order from 2000 that deemed Saif Ali Khan, his sisters Soha and Saba, and mother Sharmila Tagore as the successors to the properties.

The court directed the trial court to hear the property succession dispute afresh within a year. The Enemy Property Act of 1968 allows the central government to claim properties owned by individuals who migrated to Pakistan after Partition in 1947.

The Pataudi family claimed their lands in Bhopal and Raisen, including various properties such as Kohefiza's Flag House, Ahmedabad Palace, and others.

WHAT IS THE CASE?

In 1947, Bhopal was a princely state, and the last Nawab was Nawab Hamidullah Khan. His descendants had filed appeals in 2000 against a Bhopal District Court order. The Madhya Pradesh High Court's recent decision highlighted the need for a reevaluation of the case.

The court emphasized that the trial court had dismissed the case without considering all aspects, particularly the impact of the Supreme Court's decision on the Throne Succession Act.

In 2015, the Enemy Property Custodian Office declared the Nawab of Bhopal's land as government property, leading to a legal battle involving the Pataudi family.

In 2019, the court recognized Sajida Sultan as the legal heir, affecting Saif Ali Khan's inheritance due to Abida Sultan's migration to Pakistan.