In a major legal setback for Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has ruled that his ancestral property in Bhopal cannot be inherited by him or his family. The court confirmed that the estate, estimated to be worth around ₹15,000 crore, falls under the category of “enemy property” as per Indian law.
Saif Ali Khan, along with his mother Sharmila Tagore and sisters Soha and Saba Ali Khan, had challenged the government’s move to label the royal estate as enemy property under the Enemy Property Act. However, the court rejected their plea and upheld the government’s position.
The case dates back to 2014, when the Custodian of Enemy Property officially classified the assets of the Bhopal royal family as enemy property.
This was based on the fact that Saif’s great-grandmother, Abida Sultan — daughter of Nawab Hamidullah Khan — moved to Pakistan after India’s Partition in 1947 and gave up her Indian citizenship.
According to the Enemy Property Act, which was passed in 1958 and later strengthened, the government is allowed to take over property owned by people who moved to countries considered enemies of India, such as Pakistan.
Although a trial court in 2000 had recognised Saif and his family as rightful heirs, the decision was challenged by other family members. They argued that the inheritance should be based on Muslim Personal Law, which considers the actions of Abida Sultan ineligible for inheritance due to her migration.
Saif Ali Khan had previously received a temporary stay order on the property in 2015. But in December 2024, the High Court dismissed his petition and lifted the stay. Although Saif and his family were given 30 days to appeal, no appeal was made. This has allowed the government to move forward with plans to take over the estate.
The court has now asked the trial court to restart hearings and give a final decision within a year. The Bhopal district administration is expected to begin the process of officially taking control of the estate.
