Saif Ali Khan's Pataudi Palace may be confiscated by Indian govt after court order

A ruling by the Madhya Pradesh High Court has cleared the way for the Indian government to confiscate the Pataudi Palace, valued at $180 billion, along with several other historical properties owned by Saif Ali Khan’s family. This decision is grounded in Indian law, which permits the seizure of assets owned by individuals who migrated to Pakistan following the partition.

In light of the court order, Saif Ali Khan’s properties are expected to be transferred under the provisions of the Enemy Property Act of 1968.

The Race actor is the owner of Pataudi Palace in Haryana. According to an interview cited by Hindustan Times, he had to buy back the property using the money he earned from his film career.

Indian media reported that the recent decision lifted a stay imposed on these properties in 2015, which now allows the government to potentially seize them due to their connection to Saif Ali Khan’s family.

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The Pataudi family's assets include Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Dar-Us-Salam, and Kohefiza Property, all linked to the Nawab of Bhopal’s family, reflecting the family's legacy following the 1947 partition.

The court stated that the amended Enemy Property Act of 2017 applies to this case, allowing the government to seize the historic properties.

The act also enables the government to confiscate properties belonging to individuals or families who migrated to Pakistan after the partition.

In this case, Hamidullah Khan, the last Nawab of Bhopal, had three daughters. One of them, Abida Sultan, migrated to Pakistan three years after the partition, while the second, Sajida Sultan, married Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi and remained in India.

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According to some legal explanations, that the properties are tied to the fact that, after Abida Sultan's migration, the assets could potentially be classified as “enemy property.”

Meanwhile, Saif Ali Khan, the grandson of Sajida Sultan, inherited a portion of these properties.

In a ruling passed in 2019, the Indian court recognised Sajida Khan as the legal heir to the property. However, the latest decision has reignited the family’s property dispute.