Delhi HC Battle Over Sunjay Kapur’s Rs 1,900 Crore Asset Transfer

Karisma’s Children Allege Exclusion from Will, Seek Partition of Rs 30,000 Crore Estate

Widow Priya Sachdev Says Children Already Received Rs 1,900 Crore; Sunjay’s Mother Rani Claims Destitution

By Our Legal Correspondent

New Delhi: September 10, 2025: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday took up a partition suit filed by Samaira and Kiaan Kapur, the two children of Bollywood actress Karisma Kapoor and the late industrialist Sunjay Kapur. The siblings have challenged their exclusion from their father’s will and are seeking their legal share in his personal estate, which is estimated at around Rs 30,000 crore.

In their petition, Samaira (20) and Kiaan (14) contend that the will produced by their stepmother, Priya Sachdev Kapur, is a forgery. They have alleged that Priya conspired with the executor and others to change the testamentary document dated March 21, 2025, thereby depriving them of their rightful inheritance. They have also asked the court to restrain Priya from selling, transferring, or creating any third-party rights over the estate properties until the dispute is resolved.

Priya Sachdev Kapur, Sunjay’s third wife, has filed a detailed reply through senior advocate Rajiv Nayar, asserting that Samaira and Kiaan were granted assets worth Rs 1,900 crore from the Rani Kapur Trust just five days before they moved the court. Nayar told the bench that it was unfair for the children to claim they received nothing when a sizeable transfer had already been made in their favour. He urged the court to view the petitioners’ plea in light of this substantial benefit, and to show “some sympathy for the soul of the deceased.”

At the hearing, Justice Jyoti Singh directed Priya to submit a complete inventory of all movable and immovable assets of the late Sunjay Kapur as on June 12, 2025 — the date of his death. The court also asked her to disclose the current market value of each asset and explain any dispositions made after her husband’s demise. The matter was posted for further hearing on October 9, 2025.

Sunjay Kapur, 53, had an illustrious career as the founder and chairman of Sona Comstar, one of the world’s leading auto component manufacturers. He died unexpectedly of cardiac arrest during a polo match in England, allegedly after swallowing a bee, leaving behind his business empire and three children. Sunjay’s first two children are Samaira and Kiaan, born from his marriage to Karisma from 2003 to 2016, and his youngest son with Priya, born in 2018.

The petitioners, represented by senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, stressed that a meticulous businessman like Sunjay would never intentionally omit his first two children from his testament. Jethmalani argued that the sudden exclusion raised serious doubts about the will’s authenticity and demanded an interim injunction to freeze all assets until authenticity tests — including handwriting expert analysis — were completed. He warned that any further transfer or sale could frustrate the final adjudication of the rights of Samaira and Kiaan.

Meanwhile, Sunjay’s mother, Rani Kapur, has moved a separate application in the same proceedings to assert her interest. Rani claimed before the court that she has been left destitute — without a home or steady income — despite being the majority shareholder in the Sona Group, which also includes Sona Comstar. She alleged that company shares worth Rs 500 crore were sold off to a Singapore-based entity without her knowledge, and that she was forced to sign documents appointing Priya as a non-executive director as far back as 2019. Rani said she now has “no roof on [her] head” and asked the court to protect her interests in the family trust and business.

The legal tussle also highlights a conflicting narrative about the Kapur family trust. Priya’s counsel argued that the Rani Kapur Trust was validly executed and that transfers to Samaira and Kiaan were duly authorized by Rani herself. On the other hand, Rani’s lawyers countered that the trust deed was manipulated under undue influence and that its creation shortly before the suit was part of an elaborate scheme to marginalize all other heirs. The court will have to examine the trust’s formation, timing, and terms in detail to determine whether the asset transfers were genuine or vitiated by fraud or coercion.

Corporate filings show that Sona Comstar’s board recently issued a cease-and-desist notice to Rani Kapur, stating that she has had no involvement with the company since 2019 and accusing her of making “false and defamatory allegations.” This internal board conflict has spilled into open court, with Rani’s counsel accusing Priya and the company’s management of a “deliberate exclusion” designed to concentrate control in Priya’s hands. Priya’s lawyers, however, maintain that Rani has been sidelined due to her “volatile behaviour” and inability to understand modern corporate governance practices.

Legal experts say the case may turn on the authenticity of the contested will and the trust deeds, as well as the timing and manner of the Rs 1,900 crore asset transfer. They point out that under the Hindu Succession Act, all children from a valid marriage are Class I heirs entitled to equal shares in a deceased parent’s estate. Any testamentary disposition that excludes Class I heirs must meet strict formalities, including registration, proper execution, and absence of coercion. Courts also look closely at any changes made at the very end of a testator’s life, especially where new spouses or relatives stand to benefit disproportionately.

The court’s order to produce a full asset list is aimed at ensuring transparency and preventing any further dissipation of estate resources. Detailed disclosure will allow the judge to verify Priya’s claim about the Rs 1,900 crore transfer and assess whether additional transfers have occurred. It will also help in valuing Samaira’s and Kiaan’s potential one-fifth share each, as they seek to enforce their rights under law.

Observers note that high-profile inheritance disputes often hinge on nuanced questions of family law, trust law, and corporate governance. This case brings together all three, along with intense media scrutiny given Karisma Kapoor’s celebrity status. The Delhi High Court’s handling of evidence — including wills, trust deeds, board resolutions, and expert testimonies — will set critical precedents for similar disputes among India’s business and film dynasties.

As the family feud continues, both sides have signalled their readiness to fight lengthy litigation. Priya’s camp has already indicated plans to file objections to several of the children’s affidavits, including challenges to handwriting samples and medical records of Sunjay’s final days. The petitioners, in turn, have sought to bring in neutral handwriting experts, forensic accountants, and psychological evaluators to prove undue influence and explain the sudden reshuffling of family assets.

The next hearing in October promises to be pivotal. The parties will likely argue over the admissibility of the trust deeds and the relevance of board communications from Sona Comstar. They may also contest whether private family meetings and undisclosed negotiations should count as valid consents under trust law. Meanwhile, public interest in the outcome remains high, with media outlets and legal blogs closely tracking each development.

Ultimately, the court will have to balance the letter of inheritance law with the equitable principles that protect vulnerable heirs — whether they are minor children or elderly parents. As Priya seeks to uphold what she calls her late husband’s “last wishes,” Samaira and Kiaan press for their birthright, and Rani fights for her survival, the dispute underscores the emotional and financial fault lines that often run through affluent families.

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