Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan may cite the recent stabbing incident at his Bandra resident to seek an extension in the Pataudi family’s appeal against the government order on their ancestral properties, according to experts

Lawyer Jagdish Chhavani told news agency PTI that if Saif Ali Khan’s family has not filed any appeal yet, they can approach the authorities and seek an extension citing demands like the attack on Saif. On January 16, the 54-year-old actor was stabbed by an intruder at his residence in Bandra.

In the attack he suffered multiple injuries and was operated on urgently. He was discharged from Lilavati Hospital on Tuesday, five days after the attack. Chhavani further said that until such confusion, the fate of people occupying these properties as owners and tenants would remain uncertain.

The properties of the erstwhile rulers of Bhopal, valued at Rs 15,000 crore and inherited by actor Saif Ali Khan and his family, are in limbo due to the possibility of being taken over by the Centre.

This follows an order from the Office of the Custodian of Enemy Property, which comes under the Union home ministry. The properties were declared “enemy property” because Nawab Muhammad Hamidullah Khan’s eldest daughter, Abida Sultan Begum, migrated to Pakistan after partition.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court had provided an option to appeal against this order by December 13, 2024, which could prevent the properties from being taken over by the government.

Saif Ali Khan’s family, including his mother Sharmila Tagore, had challenged the 2015 order of the Custodian of Enemy Property, arguing that the properties should have been transferred to Sajida Sultan Begum, the second remaining daughter in India

The matter has been contested in court since 2015 and the recent directive suggested that the family could file a representation within 30 days to challenge the order.

The Enemy Property Act, initially passed after the 1965 India-Pakistan war, was strengthened in 2017 to prevent inheritance of such properties by legal heirs, even if they are Indian citizens. Critics argue that this infringes on property rights, while supporters see it as necessary for national security.

The act ensures that properties designated as enemy assets remain with the Custodian of Enemy Property for India. Similar cases, such as that of the Raja of Mahmudabad, have been controversial, with court rulings initially favoring the heirs, but later overturned by legislative amendments.

The properties, both movable and immovable, are auctioned or sold, and the proceeds go to the Consolidated Fund of India. The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Act 2017 strengthened the government’s control over these assets, nullifying inheritance claims.