Bhopal | July 6, 2025 — In a dramatic turn of events, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has ruled that ancestral assets of the Pataudi family, valued at over ₹15,000 crore, be classified as Enemy Property, stripping actor Saif Ali Khan and his relatives of ownership.
Among the seized assets is the iconic Flag Staff House—Saif’s childhood home and a key royal property in Bhopal—along with other royal estates inherited through the Bhopal royal lineage.
🏰 The Royal Legacy Under Dispute
The case centers around Sajida Sultan, Saif’s great-grandmother, who was the Begum of Bhopal and the legal heir to the properties following India’s independence. A previous ruling had granted her rights to the estate. However, the latest judgment overturns a two-decade-old verdict, labeling the property as having ties to Pakistan through Nawab Hamidullah Khan’s descendants, thereby bringing it under the purview of Enemy Property Act, 1968.
⚖️ What is ‘Enemy Property’?
Under the Enemy Property Act, assets belonging to nationals or legal heirs of countries with which India has hostile relations—mainly Pakistan and China—are vested with the Indian government. In this case, descendants who migrated to Pakistan after Partition triggered the classification.
🧾 Court’s Rationale
The High Court’s order points out discrepancies in the lineage claims and inheritance rights, stating that the properties rightfully fall under the custodianship of the Indian government, as they belong to a line traced through an “enemy national.”
🎭 What This Means for Saif Ali Khan
The ruling is a massive blow to Saif Ali Khan, who along with his sisters Soha Ali Khan and Saba Pataudi, had ancestral rights to the Bhopal estates. While the family continues to own the Pataudi Palace in Haryana, the Bhopal properties were among the largest and most historically significant parts of their legacy.
There is a possibility that Saif Ali Khan’s legal team may appeal the decision in the Supreme Court, but as of now, the Flag Staff House and other properties are no longer under family control.
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