The contested property, encompassing around 24 acres on Road No. 3, houses prominent institutions including the Muffakham Jah Engineering College and other educational establishments managed by SUES.
The origins of this dispute trace back to the late 1940s when Nizam VII established the Muazzam Jah Trust, named after his second son, Prince Muazzam Jah. The trust was endowed with several properties, including the current contentious estate. Following Prince Muazzam Jah's demise in 1987, the trust was mandated to dissolve, distributing its assets among his heirs per Sunni Muslim law. However, allegations have surfaced that certain trustees, in collusion with SUES, facilitated the society's occupation of the land without proper authorization.
In May 2017, Ameena Marzia, granddaughter of Nizam VII, lodged a formal complaint with the Panjagutta police, accusing SUES and specific trustees of the Muazzam Jah Trust of unlawfully possessing the property. The police registered an FIR on May 8, 2017, initiating an investigation into the claims. Marzia's legal representative, Nawab Zamin Ali Khan, alongside other family members, contends that SUES lacks legitimate ownership documents for the land, a prerequisite for obtaining approvals from bodies like the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and Osmania University. They allege that SUES has been operating its institutions on the disputed land by purportedly bribing officials to secure necessary sanctions.
SUES, a reputable educational society in Hyderabad, manages several institutions, including the Muffakham Jah Engineering College. The society asserts that it has been operating on the premises with legitimate agreements and has contributed significantly to the region's educational landscape. However, the Nizam's descendants argue that the society's occupation of the land is unauthorized and detrimental to their rightful inheritance.
The legal battle over this prime property is emblematic of broader issues concerning the Nizam family's vast estates. Following the integration of Hyderabad into the Indian Union in 1948, Nizam VII was permitted to retain personal properties listed in a "blue book." Over time, these assets, spread across various states, have become subjects of intricate legal disputes involving multiple heirs and claimants. The recent passing of Mukarram Jah, the titular Nizam VIII, has further complicated matters, with various family factions asserting their claims over the ancestral properties.
The Banjara Hills property dispute has also attracted political attention. In April 2022, a case was registered against a Member of Parliament from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for alleged trespassing related to a land dispute in the same area. This incident underscores the complex and often contentious nature of land ownership issues in Hyderabad's prime localities.