• Source:JND
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Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan is likely to lose his ancestral properties in Bhopal worth Rs 15,000 crore. The Madhya Pradesh High Court recently removed the stay that had been placed on these assets in 2015, which could pave the way for their acquisition under the Enemy Property Act of 1968, as reported by NDTV.

The properties currently under investigation include prominent locations like Flag Staff House, where Saif Ali Khan spent his formative years, as well as Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Dar-Us-Salam, Habibi's Bungalow, Ahmedabad Palace, and the Kohefiza property.

In his ruling, Justice Vivek Agarwal emphasised that the revised Enemy Property Act of 2017 offers a legal framework to resolve disputes. The report quoted the court, saying, "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 gives the central government the right to take control of properties owned by individuals who relocated to Pakistan after Partition. In this case, the focus is on the migration of Abida Sultan, the eldest daughter of Hamidullah Khan, the final Nawab of Bhopal, who moved to Pakistan in 1950.

While Sajida Sultan, the second daughter of Hamidullah Khan, remained in India and became the legal heir, the government contends that Abida Sultan’s migration qualifies the properties as "enemy property." As a result, Saif Ali Khan, the grandson of Sajida Sultan, inherited a share of these assets.

While the court acknowledged Sajida Sultan as the legal heir in 2019, the recent ruling has reignited the family's long-standing property dispute.

According to an NDTV report, Bhopal Collector Kaushalendra Vikram Singh has stated that he plans to review ownership records from the past 72 years. He mentioned that those residing on the disputed properties could be regarded as tenants under the state's leasing laws. This decision has caused uncertainty for around 1.5 lakh residents in the area, many of whom are worried about the possibility of eviction.

Saif Ali Khan Attack: As Saif Ali Khan returned back home from hospital on Tuesday, five days after he was attacked at his Bandra residence by an intruder, actor Ronit Roy too was spotted at his residence. ANI has learned that Saif has employed the services of actor Ronit Roy's security firm for protection. Ronit owns the "Ace Security and Protection" agency. He has closely worked with megastar Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar in the past.

Saif suffered stab wounds to his thoracic spine when an intruder, later identified as Mohd Shariful Islam Shehzad, entered his home with the alleged intent of theft last week.