Late businessman Sunjay Kapur's mother, Rani Kapur, has moved the Supreme Court to restrain Priya Sachdev Kapur from interfering with the "RK Family Trust" and to stay a board meeting. The matter is listed for hearing on May 14.
Rani Kapur Files Fresh Plea in Supreme Court
Late businessman Sunjay Kapur's 80-year-old mother Rani Kapur has moved the Supreme Court with a fresh plea seeking directions that Priya Sachdev Kapur, the third wife of Kapur, along with certain other respondents, be restrained from interfering with the functioning of the "RK Family Trust" till the pendency of the Mediation Proceedings initiated by the apex court on May 7.
She has also sought a stay on the Board Meeting of the company scheduled for May 18 pursuant to the Notice and Agenda dated May 8 issued by Raghuvanshi Investment Private Limited, which holds a major part of the disputed family estate. The plea was mentioned by the counsel appearing for Rani Kapur before the Supreme Court today. The counsel contended that the meeting is intended to appoint additional directors to the Board.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India JB Pardiwala has been listed for May 14. "We have entered into an arena. The Mahabharat will look very small. We will look into it," the judge said.
Background of the High-Stakes Dispute
The high-stakes dispute, reportedly involving assets worth nearly Rs 30,000 crore, continues before the High Court, with the interim order ensuring that the estate remains preserved pending final adjudication.
Earlier on May 1, the counsel appearing for Priya Sachdev Kapur, widow of the late businessman, had described the Delhi High Court's interim order directing status quo on the estate as a "routine" and "balanced" measure, stressing that preservation of assets had already been voluntarily offered by her during the course of proceedings.
Senior Advocate Shyel Trehan, representing Priya Kapur, said the judgment merely follows settled principles applicable in partition and estate disputes. "The judgment passed is a very routine judgment where assets are preserved. These kinds of preservation orders are passed in every partition suit... Priya had already consented to and even offered this, as she never had any intention of dissipating the assets," she said.
She further added that the order strikes a balance between the parties while safeguarding the estate. "The judgment seems to have balanced the equities. It protects the estate and legacy of Sunjay Kapur, which has always been what Priya wanted," Trehan stated, while also asserting that the Will in question carries an "unimpeachable digital footprint."
On April 30, the Delhi High Court allowed an interim injunction plea filed by the children of Karisma Kapoor, directing maintenance of the status quo over the estate of the late industrialist and restraining the creation of third-party rights. The Court observed that "suspicious circumstances" had been raised by the petitioners as well as by Sunjay Kapur's mother, and held that the burden lies on Priya Kapur to dispel those doubts during trial. It also directed the filing of account statements and emphasised that preservation of the estate is necessary, particularly as the trial may take time.
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