The Madhya Pradesh High court has lifted the 2015 stay on Pataudi family’s ancestral properties which worth over Rs 15,000 crore. The Pataudis may stand close to a potential government acquisition under the Enemy Property Act of 1968. While delivering his decision Justice Vivek Agarwal said that a statutory remedy exists under the amended Enemy Property Act, 2017. He has directed the concerned parties of the case to file a representation within the coming 30 days. The court said, “If a representation is filed within 30 days from today, the appellate authority shall not advert to the aspect of limitation and shall deal with the appeal on its own merits.”

The Enemy Property Act allows the Government to take over control and seize properties that are owned by people who migrated to Pakistan post the 1947 partition.

The properties of the Pataudi which are linked to Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan’s family include some of the prominent places such as Flag Staff House, Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Bungalow of Habibi, Ahmedabad Palace, Kohefiza Property and Dar-Us-Salam among the others.

The Pataudis

The last Nawab of Bhopal, Hamidullah Khan had three daughters. The eldest daughter, Abida Sultan had moved to Pakistan in 1950. His second daughter Sajida Sultan stayed in India and got married to Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi. Later on, she became the rightful heir to the property.

Saif Ali Khan is the grandson of Sajida Sultan, who inherits a portion of the Pataudi properties. The government in its case used the basis of Abida Sultan’s migration claiming the properties as “enemy”. In 2019, court has acknowledged Sajida Sultan as the rightful heir to the properties, but in the last ruling this stay was lifted. And the Pataudi family’s property conflict is now reignited.

Bhopal collector, Kaushalendra Vikram Singh has announced to review the ownership records of the past 72 years. He has said that under the state’s leasing laws, the people living on these lands might be considered as tenants. A potential takeover by Government has raised concerns among the 1.5 lakh concerns who fear eviction.

Sumer Khan, a resident said, “The stay has been lifted, but merging these properties under the Enemy Protection Act is complicated. The Pataudi family still has a chance to appeal.” Another resident Chand Mian said, “We pay taxes, but there’s no registry of our homes. The Nawab’s leases should still stand.”

The property conflict is still in a complex state and the future of the ancestral belongings rests on the legal proceedings further. Let us wait for the representation which is the legal avenue open for the Pataudis.