Sharmila Tagore Fights To Reclaim Royal Property In Bhopal

New Delhi: Actress Sharmila Tagore is fighting to reclaim real estate on behalf of the royal family of Bhopal, to whom her late husband Mansoor Ali Khan, the Nawab of Pataudi, was related. The property in dispute is situated in the Koh-e-Fiza neighbourhood of Bhopal and the district administration have sent notices to the current occupants after Ms Tagore, 72, filed a complaint, reports news agency PTI. Sharmila Tagore has claimed ownership of the property as the wife of Tiger Pataudi who, as the grandson of the last Nawab of Bhopal Hamidullah Khan, was heir to the royal estate. Tiger Pataudi, one of India's finest cricketers, died in 2011.

The disputed property is named Dar-us-Salam was formerly the official residence of Justice Salamuddin Khan, erstwhile chief justice of the princely state of Bhopal, reports PTI. It is reportedly occupied currently by Azam Khan, husband of Justice Salamuddin Khan's granddaughter Mahira, who is now deceased. Sharmila Tagore's complaint has accused Azam Khan and associate Syed Nawab Raza of trespassing, forging documents, breaking and entering, and robbing the house of antiques and other valuables, reports PTI. "A couple of months back, Sharmila Tagore had claimed ownership on the land of Dar-us-Salam, a residential property in Koh-e-Fiza, and urged to get this property evicted. We have now served the notices to the present occupants - Azam Khan and Nawab Raza - to furnish their replies. These persons were named by her," Ajay Pratap Singh Patel, Tehsildar of the Bairagarh circle, told PTI.

Azam Khan, who is believed to have put the property on sale citing a deed from the Nawab of Bhopal that allegedly gifted the estate to Justice Salamuddin Khan's family, claimed not to have received the notice. "I have not received any notice so far. I cannot talk more," he told PTI.

Sharmila Tagore is best known for her performance in Satyajit Ray's films such as Devi and Bollywood hits like Kashmir Ki Kali. She won the National Award for Best Actress for 1975 film Mausam and the Best Supporting Actress award for Goutam Ghose's 2003 film Abar Aranye. Sharmila Tagore and Tiger Pataudi have three children - son Saif and daughters Soha and Saba.

(With PTI inputs)