Tripura ranks third in India with 1,002 enemy properties, according to Custodian of Enemy Property for India data. Uttar Pradesh leads while West Bengal stands second, highlighting historical migration patterns and legal control under the Enemy Property Act.
Tripura holds the third position in India in terms of the number of identified immovable enemy properties. Uttar Pradesh tops the list, while West Bengal ranks second.
The information was shared by Jaspal Singh during an interaction with a media delegation from Tripura in Lucknow.
Singh, who serves as the Chief Supervisor at the Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI), said India currently has about 13,247 immovable enemy properties on record. These properties are managed under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
He explained that enemy property includes both movable and immovable assets. These may include land, buildings, company shares, jewellery and bank deposits.
Such assets belonged to individuals or companies that migrated to Pakistan after the wars of 1965 and 1971, or to China after the 1962 conflict, and later obtained citizenship in those countries.
Under the provisions of the Enemy Property Act, 1968, these assets are not treated as abandoned. Instead, they are vested in the Custodian of Enemy Property for India.
According to Singh, Uttar Pradesh has the highest number with 5,271 immovable enemy properties. West Bengal follows with 4,437 such properties.
Tripura has 1,002 enemy properties, placing the state in the third position nationally. Within Tripura, Sepahijala district has the highest number with 396 properties. It is followed by West Tripura district with 295 properties and Khowai district with 146 properties.
Officials said the main objective of designating an asset as enemy property is to prevent it from being used in ways that could benefit a hostile country or its citizens.
A major amendment to the law in 2017 strengthened the provisions. The amendment ensures that the “enemy” status remains attached to a property even after the original owner dies.
It is important to note, the amendment also prevents legal heirs, even if they are Indian citizens, from claiming ownership. This provision allows the government to retain control over such assets.
The interaction took place at Butler Palace, which is itself listed as an enemy property. The meeting was organised during a media tour arranged by the Press Information Bureau in Agartala.
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Additional Director General of PIB Guwahati, Kripa Shankar Yadav felicitated the CEPI officials with gifts highlighting cultural heritage of Tripura.
Journalists from the State are currently visiting Lucknow as part of the official programme.
