After months of legal battle, the Delhi High Court, on Wednesday, brought an end to the hearings in the contentious civil suit over the personal estate of late industrialist Sunjay Kapur. The court has reserved orders on the interim injunction plea filed by his children with his ex-wife, Karisma Kapoor. The court also noted that all parties had completed their written submissions as directed earlier.
Delhi HC closes proceedings in Sunjay Kapur`s inheritance case
Justice Jyoti Singh highlighted that oral arguments had already concluded and that the remaining written submissions filed by the contesting sides had now been formally taken on record. The Delhi Court said that the procedural requirements had also been complied with while making it clear that no further filings would be entertained before the order is pronounced.
During an earlier argument, Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayar, representing Priya Kapur, denied the claims that Sunjay`s assets were siphoned abroad or concealed. He submitted that a comprehensive list of assets had been filed, supported by financial records, corporate filings and sworn disclosures, which, he said, demolished the allegations of concealment. The lawyer also disputed assertions that the late industrialist had an annual income of Rs 60 crore, remarking that the figures cited by the challengers were inaccurate.
Responding to a claim about a high-value Rolex watch, Nayar said the allegation was based on images sourced from a fake social media account and not from Sunjay`s authentic profile. He further reiterated that all assets known to Priya had already been disclosed to the Court. As far as the post-demise corporate actions are concerned, the defence noted to correspondence indicating that specific steps were initiated pursuant to an email from his mother, Rani Kapur`s account, sent shortly after Sunjay Kapur`s death, an email which she later disowned. Nayar also denied suggestions that the disputed will was framed on Priya`s will, stating that its format was consistent with a will executed by Rani Kapur in 2024.
Opposing to this, the defence, Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, who appeared for the children of Sunjay Kapur and Karisma Kapoor, Samaira Kapur and Kiaan Raj Kapur, who challenged the Will. The kids sought an interim injunction denying Priya from dealing with the estate. The advocate argued that the will was fraught with inconsistencies and suspicious features, while noting that Sunjay Kapur could not have authored its language. He also pointed that feminine pronouns were used in reference to the testator, his mother was omitted, and registration was absent.
Additionally, he also questioned who prepared the document, suggesting that it may have been created on a third party`s laptop. He also highlighted that Priya is both the propounder and the sole beneficiary of the will, a situation that warranted heightened judicial scrutiny.
Sunjay Kapur`s mother contested the will
Sunjay Kapur`s mother, Rani Kapur, has independently contested the Will, asserting that she was never informed of its existence and that it does not even acknowledge her. Through counsel, she argued that the document was inconsistent with her son`s longstanding conduct and his stated acknowledgement of her role in his life and affairs. Senior Advocate Vaibhav Gaggar, appearing for Rani Kapur, submitted that it was highly improbable for Sunjay Kapur to bequeath his entire personal estate solely to Priya, given his close relationships with his children, mother and extended family.
Rani has alleged that, following her son`s death, Priya moved swiftly to consolidate control over businesses and assets, and that the asset statements filed before the Court were incomplete, omitting valuable artworks, watches, bank accounts, insurance policies, rental income and other investments. She also questioned the plausibility of the declared asset value of around Rs1.7 crore in light of Sunjay Kapur`s reported earnings in the year preceding his death.
The dispute stems from a civil suit filed by Sunjay Kapur`s children challenging the authenticity of the alleged Will in a matter involving assets worth crores. With all submissions now on record and further filings barred, the Delhi High Court has reserved its judgment on the interim injunction plea, which will determine the course of the inheritance battle.
(With inputs from ANI)
