Supreme Court Halts Re-evaluation of Bhopal Estate Dispute

The Supreme Court has temporarily stayed a Madhya Pradesh High Court's order, which demanded a new trial in the royal estate dispute involving Bhopal's last Nawab, Hamidullah Khan. This estate saga has persisted for decades, with the latest judicial twist stirring the ongoing contention among the Nawab's descendants.

A bench with Justices P S Narasimha and Atul Chandurkar has responded to the plea from Omar Faruq Ali and Raashid Ali—relatives of Nawab Hamidullah Khan. Their appeal contests a previous ruling that overturned a 2000 trial court decision favoring the Nawab's daughter Sajida Sultan and her heirs, including Saif Ali Khan.

Senior advocate Devadutt Kamat argued that the remand undermined judicial rules as prescribed by the Civil Procedure Code. As the case winds through its legal labyrinth, the estate's rightful ownership remains unresolved, awaiting further judgment from India's highest court.

(With inputs from agencies.)