The Supreme Court of India on Thursday urged members of the Kapur family to resolve their escalating inheritance dispute through mediation, observing that “we all came with empty hands and we have to go with empty hands.”
A bench comprising Justice J. B. Pardiwala and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan made the remarks while hearing a plea filed by Rani Kapur, the 80-year-old mother of late industrialist Sunjay Kapur. She has alleged that she was deprived of her inheritance and home through a fraudulent trust arrangement.
The court had earlier remarked that the bitterness of the conflict made even the Mahabharata “look small.”
Dispute Centres Around RK Family Trust
At the centre of the case is the RK Family Trust, also referred to as the Rani Kapur Family Trust. According to Rani Kapur, although the trust names her as settlor and trustee, it allegedly makes Priya Sachdev Kapur and others the sole beneficiaries, excluding other members of the Kapur family.
Rani Kapur has alleged that after she suffered a stroke in 2017, her son Sunjay Kapur and Priya Kapur exploited her vulnerable condition. She claims that properties and shareholdings were transferred into the trust without her informed consent and that she was asked to sign documents, including blank papers, under the guise of routine formalities.
The conflict intensified after Sunjay Kapur’s death in June last year, when Rani Kapur alleged that Priya Kapur moved quickly to take control of major Sona Group entities.
Fresh Hearing Triggered by Board Meeting Notice
The latest hearing arose after a May 8 notice called for a board meeting of Raghuvanshi Investment Private Limited (RIPL), a company controlling a substantial part of the disputed estate. The meeting was scheduled for May 18.
Rani Kapur argued that the meeting was convened just a day after the Supreme Court referred the family dispute to mediation before former Chief Justice of India D. Y. Chandrachud on May 7.
The bench questioned why another plea had been filed despite mediation already being underway, warning that repeated litigation could complicate settlement efforts.
Supreme Court Partially Restrains Board Meeting Decisions
The court declined to stay the board meeting entirely but directed that two agenda items should not be discussed:
- Appointment of two independent directors
- Changes in bank account signatories
Senior Advocate Navin Pahwa, appearing for Rani Kapur, argued that the meeting was intended to marginalise her role in managing family assets.
On behalf of the respondents, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal informed the court that the Reserve Bank of India had directed the appointment of independent directors following an inspection.
The Supreme Court responded by directing that RBI-related compliance requirements need not be enforced immediately during the ongoing mediation process.
Court Appeals for Reconciliation
Urging the family to approach mediation sincerely, the bench observed:
“There has to be a will to settle the matter.”
The judges also stressed Rani Kapur’s advanced age and cautioned the parties against entering mediation with hostility or resentment.
The court warned that if mediation efforts failed due to lack of cooperation, it could proceed to hear the matter on merits.
Karisma Kapoor’s Children Also Involved in Proceedings
The dispute has also drawn in Karisma Kapoor through her two children with Sunjay Kapur.
On April 30, the Delhi High Court granted an interim injunction sought by the children, restraining Priya Sachdev Kapur from creating third-party rights over Sunjay Kapur’s assets.
Parallel proceedings relating to control of the estate and family assets are also pending before the Delhi High Court.
