The Delhi High Court has directed Priya Kapur and Mandhira Kapur Smith to refrain from making defamatory statements against each other. The order came during a Rs 20 crore defamation suit filed by Priya, with the next hearing scheduled for May 14.
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed Priya Kapur, wife of late businessman Sunjay Kapur, and his sister Mandhira Kapur Smith to avoid making any public statements against each other amid an ongoing family dispute that has now reached the court in the form of a defamation suit.
The matter was heard by Justice Mini Pushkarna, who made it clear that the Court expects both sides to maintain dignity while the legal proceedings are pending.
The judge orally observed,
“We expect you not to make any public statements against each other… Conduct yourself with dignity, this is what the court expects,”
stressing that personal disputes should not be fought in the public domain.
The direction came during the hearing of a civil defamation suit filed by Priya Kapur against Mandhira Kapur Smith. The Court also formally issued notice to Mandhira Kapur and asked her to file her response within five weeks to the interim application filed by Priya Kapur. In this application, Priya has sought immediate relief to restrain Mandhira from allegedly making defamatory statements against her.
Passing its interim order, the Court stated,
“Issue notice. List after five weeks. In the meantime, both parties are directed to exercise restraint in making statements against each other, directly or indirectly,”
thereby making it clear that neither side should engage in further public mudslinging while the case is pending. The next hearing in the matter has been scheduled for May 14.
According to the plea filed before the High Court, Priya Kapur has alleged that Mandhira Kapur made several defamatory statements about her on social media platforms and during appearances on a podcast titled InControversial. The host of the show, Pooja Chaudhari, has also been made a party to the suit.
In her suit, Priya Kapur has sought an injunction to stop Mandhira from making any further defamatory remarks against her. She has also claimed damages amounting to Rs 20 crores, citing
“loss of reputation, mental agony, emotional distress and social humiliation”
allegedly suffered due to the statements made against her.
Priya Kapur has argued before the Court that Mandhira repeatedly uploaded and shared videos and posts on various social media platforms in which she identified Priya and made what she described as false allegations and accusatory insinuations. According to the plea, these statements were allegedly intended to create hatred, ridicule and social isolation against her.
The suit further states that soon after the death of Sunjay Kapur, Mandhira Kapur Smith “embarked upon a systematic and organised course of conduct aimed at maligning, humiliating and socially discrediting the Plaintiff [Priya Kapur].
It is also important to note that apart from the present civil defamation suit, a separate criminal defamation case filed by Priya Kapur against Mandhira Kapur Smith is already pending before the Patiala House Court in Delhi.
During the hearing, Senior Advocate Maninder Singh appeared on behalf of Priya Kapur and referred to certain statements allegedly made by Mandhira. He told the Court,
“A grieving widow and a seven-year-old son are subjected to such derogatory statements like that there was no bloodline present. Mandhira is saying they [Priya and her minor son] are thieves, robbers, and third wife, and that Priya was just filling the gap,”
highlighting the seriousness of the allegations.
Singh also informed the Court that Priya Kapur has not spoken to the media and has not given any interviews regarding the dispute.
On the other hand, Senior Advocate Amit Sibal appeared for Mandhira Kapur Smith and argued that his client was also being targeted in the media.
He submitted,
“Considering the relationship between the parties and media trials that are happening… It’s a telltale. Concerted media vilificatory campaign,”
suggesting that there was a coordinated attempt to damage Mandhira’s reputation as well.
After hearing both sides, the High Court decided to issue notice on the interim relief application and directed both parties to refrain from making any defamatory statements against each other, whether directly or indirectly, until further orders.
The defamation suit has been filed through advocate Smriti Asmita. The case will now be taken up for further consideration on May 14, when the Court will examine the response to the interim application and decide the next course of action in this high-profile family dispute.
Background Of Case
The present dispute before the Delhi High Court has its roots in the complex personal and family history of late businessman Sunjay Kapur.
Sunjay Kapur was earlier married to Bollywood actor Karisma Kapoor. Their marriage, which was widely covered in the media, ended in a highly publicised and contentious divorce. Over the years, several allegations and counter-allegations surfaced in the public domain during their separation, drawing intense media scrutiny.
Despite the turbulence, Karisma Kapoor maintained a relatively restrained public stance and focused on raising her children, largely avoiding prolonged media mudslinging after the divorce proceedings concluded.
After his divorce from Karisma Kapoor, Sunjay Kapur later married Priya Kapur. Following his recent demise, tensions reportedly escalated within the family, particularly between his widow Priya Kapur and his sister, Mandhira Kapur Smith. The dispute has now taken a legal turn, with allegations of defamatory statements being circulated on social media and other platforms.
While the current defamation proceedings do not directly involve Karisma Kapoor, her past association with the family inevitably brings renewed public attention to earlier chapters of Sunjay Kapur’s personal life.
Observers note that during her separation phase, Karisma Kapoor had also faced significant public commentary but largely chose to let the legal process speak for itself rather than engage in prolonged public exchanges.
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