Royal Heir or Disinherited Citizen? Saif Ali Khan’s Rs 15,000 crore Bhopal estate now in legal limbo
On June 30, the Madhya Pradesh High Court struck down a decades-old ruling that had granted Saif and his family rights over the princely estate of Nawab Hamidullah Khan, Bhopal’s last ruling Nawab.
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Actor Saif Ali Khan risks losing ancestral properties worth Rs 15,000 crore in Bhopal, ushering in a modern-day battle between heritage, law and identity. On June 30, the Madhya Pradesh High Court struck down a decades-old ruling that had granted Saif and his family rights over the princely estate of Nawab Hamidullah Khan, Bhopal’s last ruling Nawab. In doing so, the court reopened a contentious inheritance case and directed a fresh trial, reigniting a dispute once thought to be settled.
According to a 2000 ruling that named Saif, his mother Sharmila Tagore and sisters Soha and Saba as rightful heirs through Sajida Sultan, Saif’s grandmother and the Nawab’s second daughter. Her ascension as de facto successor came after her elder sister Abida Sultan migrated to Pakistan and gave up Indian citizenship.
But now, distant relatives have resurfaced with a counterclaim, arguing that Muslim Personal Law, not royal decree, should govern inheritance. The High Court agreed, overturning the trial court’s verdict and demanding a re-examination within one year.
The properties in question, including the iconic Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Flag Staff House and Kohefiza Bungalow, have been designated “enemy property” by the Indian government. That’s because Abida Sultan, once considered the rightful heir, migrated to Pakistan post-Partition.
Under the Enemy Property Act of 1968, any assets left behind by such individuals are automatically vested with the Custodian of Enemy Property; and a 2017 amendment made it nearly impossible for descendants, even Indian citizens, to reclaim them.
Saif’s legal challenges now run on two parallel tracks:
1. The revived inheritance suit, which could dilute or redistribute the estate among broader claimants. 2. The enemy property classification, which could hand over full control of the assets to the Indian state—permanently.
While Saif secured a temporary stay against the "enemy" tag in 2015, the court lifted it in December 2024, giving him 30 days to file an appeal. With that window now closed and no confirmed response from Saif’s side, the government could initiate acquisition of the estate any day.
