Saif to keep his 16-acre Nayapura land after civic suit
What's the story
A Bhopal court has ruled in favor of Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan and his family, including mother Sharmila Tagore and sister Soha Ali Khan, in a civil suit. The case involved a 16.62-acre plot in the Nayapura area of Huzur tehsil, which was claimed by three residents who argued it was gifted to their father by Bhopal's last Nawab, Hamidullah Khan, in 1936.
Disputed ownership
Plaintiffs' claim and court's rejection
The plaintiffs claimed their family had served the Nawab during his princely state era and were given the land as a reward. They presented old revenue records, continuous possession, construction of rooms, engagement of caretakers, and allowing others to stay on portions of the land as evidence. However, the court dismissed these arguments, stating that they failed to prove their claim of the inayat (reward) through reliable legal evidence.
Legal evidence
Court's observation on land ownership records
The court observed that the land in question was recorded as the private property of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi in the 1949 Bhopal Merger Agreement with the government. It also noted official records indicating that after a family partition, 12.62 acres of this land had been sold by the Pataudi family to a private builder in 1998, well before this suit was filed.
Legal implications
Ruling could set precedent in similar disputes
The ruling has provided major relief to Khan and his family, effectively ending a long legal battle over the property. Legal experts believe this ruling could set an important precedent for similar disputes involving properties associated with Bhopal's former royal family.