New Delhi: There was high drama in the Delhi High Court on Wednesday as a bitter inheritance battle unfolded over the late businessman Sunjay Kapur’s fortune, estimated at Rs 30,000 crore. Sunjay Kapur was the ex-husband of Bollywood actress Karisma Kapoor.
Sunjay, who died of a heart attack in the UK this June at the age of 53, left behind a contested will dated 21 March. The document, which names his third wife Priya Sachdev Kapur as sole heir, has been challenged by his children with actor Karisma Kapoor — Samaira, 20, and Kiaan, 15.
The siblings, represented by senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, included both Priya and their grandmother, Rani Kapur, as respondents in their plea. Justice Jyoti Singh registered the matter and directed Priya to file a complete list of movable and immovable assets as of 12 June, the date of Sunjay’s death. The case will next be heard on 9 October.
Through their counsel, Samaira and Kiaan alleged that the will was fabricated, pointing out that neither their father nor Priya had ever spoken of such a document. They argued that Priya’s conduct “without a doubt” suggested fabrication.
Priya’s legal team, led by senior advocates Rajiv Nayar and Shyel Trehan, countered that the suit was not maintainable. They noted that the children had received assets through the Rani Kapur Trust, which holds stakes in auto components major Sona Comstar. Priya also asserted her position as Sunjay’s “last lawfully wedded wife”, contrasting her status with Karisma’s “acrimonious” divorce from Sunjay.
In court, Priya’s lawyers argued that although the will was unregistered, it could not be dismissed as invalid. They urged the court to show sympathy, emphasising that Priya is raising a six-year-old child.
Adding to the dispute, 80-year-old Rani Kapur strongly opposed the will. She told the court that she had been left without a roof over her head and that her repeated emails seeking clarity on the estate had gone unanswered. “There is something incredibly unholy,” she said, claiming assets worth Rs 10,000 crore should have been hers.
The unfolding courtroom contest has placed three generations of the Kapur family against one another, setting the stage for a bruising legal battle over one of Delhi’s most prominent business fortunes.