The legal battle over the estate of the late industrialist Sunjay Kapur has intensified, with his widow, Priya Sachdev, vehemently refuting allegations made by his mother, Rani Kapur. The dispute, which also involves Sunjay Kapur's children from his previous marriage to actress Karisma Kapoor, centers around the authenticity of Sunjay's will and the true extent of his wealth.
Rani Kapur has accused Priya Sachdev of concealing valuable assets and withholding crucial financial details from the court. Represented by Senior Advocate Vaibhav Gaggar, Rani Kapur claimed there was "massive concealment" of her son's assets, including luxury watches, high-value artworks, and overseas transfers. She further alleged that Priya Sachdev's disclosure of only ₹1.7 crore in Sunjay Kapur's accounts was a gross misrepresentation, given that his salary alone was around ₹60 crore. Rani Kapur also raised concerns about the absence of life insurance policies, rental income, and mutual funds, questioning how a man of Sunjay Kapur's stature could have such limited declared assets.
Priya Sachdev, however, has hit back at these accusations, branding them as "baseless and reckless". Her legal team, led by Rajiv Nayar, asserted that a detailed list of assets and transactions has been filed with the court, and no money has been moved abroad. They also addressed the claim that Sunjay Kapur earned ₹60 crore annually, clarifying that while he received a salary of ₹10 crore as a director in AIPL for the financial year 2023-2024, he also received a one-time bonus of ₹50 crore. After deducting TDS of ₹23.5 crore, he received ₹36.5 crore in hand, out of which ₹28.5 crore was used to purchase immovable assets in London, according to Priya's legal team.
Adding another layer to the complex dispute, Priya Sachdev's legal team has alleged that Rani Kapur continues to withdraw ₹21.5 lakh every month from AIPL, the holding company of Sona Comstar, and that her personal expenses are still being covered by the company, just as they were when Sunjay Kapur was alive. This was presented to counter claims of unfair treatment.
The children of Sunjay Kapur and Karisma Kapoor, Samaira and Kiaan Raj Kapoor, have also filed a suit against Priya Sachdev, alleging that she forged their father's will to exclude them from the inheritance. They are seeking an interim injunction to prevent Priya from managing or diminishing their father's assets until the court determines the validity of the will.
Rani Kapur's legal team has further claimed that Priya Sachdev acted swiftly to take control of Sunjay Kapur's assets after his death, appointing a new director to Aureous, a company linked to Sunjay, just a day after his passing. They also highlighted that Sunjay Kapur had removed Priya Sachdev from the board of AIPL in March 2023, stating that "something needed to be reversed," which raises questions about his intentions regarding her role in his business affairs.
The Delhi High Court is currently hearing the case, with both sides presenting arguments and evidence to support their claims. The court has issued notices to Priya Sachdev and Shradha Suri Marwah, the executor of the alleged will, seeking their responses to the allegations. The next hearing is scheduled for December 3. The outcome of this legal battle will determine the fate of Sunjay Kapur's estimated ₹30,000 crore estate and the future of those involved.
Sunjay Kapur, the former chairman of Sona Comstar, passed away in June this year due to cardiac arrest. He was married to Karisma Kapoor from 2003 to 2016, and they had two children together. He married Priya Sachdev in 2017, and they also have a son.
