What is the Enemy Property Act, and how does it affect Saif Ali Khan's $ 150 billion Bhopal estate? Explained

In a shocking turn of events, Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan and his family have faced a major setback in connection with the ancestral properties in Bhopal. As per reports, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has dismissed Khan's plea against the government's decision to label his ancestral properties worth an estimated Rs 150 billion as enemy property.

As per the reports, the High Court has set aside a 25-year-old Bhopal trial court order. The princely state was inherited by Saif Ali Khan, his mother Sharmila Tagore, and his sisters Soha and Saba Ali Khan, following the death of Mansoor Ali Khan

.

What's the new update on Saif Ali Khan's Rs 15,000 cr ancestral properties in Bhopal?

Khan and his family have been embroiled in a legal case over their ancestral properties in Bhopal for several years. However, according to recent updates, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has dismissed Khan's plea in the much-talked-about enemy property case.

As a new update, the court has reportedly ordered a re-investigation in the matter and has asked the trial court to resume the hearing and complete the proceedings within a year.

In 2019, the Madhya Pradesh High Court lifted the stay imposed on these properties. Some of these properties in the ruling included Saif’s childhood home Flag Staff House, the Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Dar-Us-Salam, Bungalow of Habibi, Ahmedabad Palace, Kohefiza Property, among others.

With the major new development, Khan's ancestral Bhopal properties are now at risk of being taken over by the government. This decision was taken under the Enemy Property Act. So what is it - let's understand.

What is an Enemy Property?

In India, Enemy property refers to assets, including land, buildings, etc, that are left behind by people who migrated to countries such as Pakistan and China during the time of partition or after the 1962 war.

What is the Enemy Property Act 1968?

The Enemy Property Act came into effect after the 1947 partition, followed by the Indo-China War in the 1960s. Under this law, the property owned by the people, who are no longer the citizens of India, will be deemed as Enemy property. The act also ruled that the heirs of the people, who migrated didn't have the right to succession on the property. After the act was passed, the Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI) had the authority to take over the properties and manage them.

The types of properties covered under this act are: Land, buildings, houses, bank balances and companies.

The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2017

The amendments were made to the original Enemy Property Act, which was passed by the Indian Parliament in March 2017, to strengthen the original law.

One of the key changes made in 2017 was about inheritance, meaning that Indian citizens or legal heirs will not be able to claim the enemy's properties. The court also does not hold any right to reverse the enemy's property status once it has been announced.