In what may be a significant legal development, #Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan and his family may lose control over their ancestral properties in Bhopal, reportedly valued at Rs 15,000 crore. The state government may takeover.

The #MadhyaPradeshHighCourt recently lifted a stay imposed on these assets in 2015, potentially clearing the way for their acquisition under the Enemy Property Act, 1968, according to a report.

The properties under scrutiny include several prominent landmarks such as the Flag Staff House, where Saif Ali Khan spent much of his childhood, Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Dar-Us-Salam, Bungalow of Habibi, Ahmedabad Palace, and the Kohefiza Property.

Justice Vivek Agarwal, in his ruling, stated that the amended Enemy Property Act, 2017, provides a statutory mechanism for addressing disputes. "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 report said, quoting the court.

The Enemy Property Act allows the central government to claim properties belonging to individuals who migrated to Pakistan after Partition. In this case, the legal focus lies on the migration of Abida Sultan, the eldest daughter of Hamidullah Khan, the last ruling Nawab of the princely salute state of Bhopal, to Pakistan in 1950.

While Sajida Sultan, Hamidullah Khan's second daughter, stayed in India and became the legal heir, the government has argued that Abida Sultan's migration qualifies the properties as "enemy property." Saif Ali Khan, Sajida Sultan's grandson, inherited a portion of these assets.

Bhopal Collector Kaushalendra Vikram Singh has announced plans to review ownership records spanning the last 72 years, according to the report.

He added that individuals living on the disputed properties might be treated as tenants under the state's leasing laws. This decision has created uncertainty among the estimated 1.5 lakh residents in the area, many of whom fear eviction.

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