Supreme Court Halts High Court Order on Bhopal Nawab's Estate Dispute

The Supreme Court on Friday imposed an interim stay on a controversial order by the Madhya Pradesh High Court dated June 30, which remanded a significant property dispute concerning the royal estate of Bhopal's last Nawab, Hamidullah Khan. This case, intricately tied to the ancestry of actor Saif Ali Khan, will now avoid trial court reevaluation for the moment.

A bench comprising Justices PS Narasimha and Atul Chandurkar issued the interim order while hearing an appeal from Omar Faruq Ali and Raashid Ali, relatives of Nawab Hamidullah Khan, who contested the High Court's decision. The appeal argued against the High Court overturning a trial court decision from February 14, 2000, which endorsed the exclusive estate rights of Sajida Sultan, the Nawab's daughter, and her descendants, including actor Saif Ali Khan.

The High Court's directive was based on a now-overturned 1997 Allahabad High Court ruling, with subsequent Supreme Court judgment in 2019 contrary to it. Petitioners, including legal heirs of Begum Suraiya Rashid, argue the case's prolonged litigation spanning nearly 50 years should be concluded promptly to ensure justice.

(With inputs from agencies.)