Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan and the Pataudi family have secured a major legal victory after a district court in Bhopal dismissed all claims against their ancestral property, ending a dispute that spanned nearly 25 years.
According to Indian media reports, the Bhopal District Court ruled in favour of the Pataudi family over a 16.62-acre plot located in the Nayapura area. The land is estimated to be worth around ₹16,000 crore.
The verdict restores full ownership of the property to the Pataudi heirs. The case involved Saif Ali Khan, his mother, Sharmila Tagore, his sister, Soha Ali Khan, and other legal heirs.
The dispute began in 1998, when multiple claimants alleged that the land had been gifted in 1936 by the former Nawab of Bhopal, Nawab Hamidullah Khan, to their ancestors. The plaintiffs, including Aqeel Ahmad, argued that the property did not belong to the Pataudi family.
Read: Saif Ali Khan Loses ₹15,000 Crore Pataudi Properties
During hearings, the court found that the claimants failed to present verified or credible documentary evidence to support their ownership claims. After examining official records, the court concluded that no lawful proof existed to establish any transfer of the land.
Legal experts say the ruling brings long-awaited clarity to one of India’s most high-profile ancestral property disputes. The judgment also reinforces the importance of documented ownership in heritage land cases.
Saif Ali Khan and his family have not issued an official statement following the decision.
