The Supreme Court will hear on May 14 an application by Rani Kapur, mother of late industrialist Sanjay Kapur, seeking to stop Priya Kapur and others from interfering with the RK Family Trust. This comes while mediation between parties continues.
The Supreme Court will hear on May 14 an application filed by the late industrialist Sanjay Kapur’s mother, Rani Kapur, seeking directions to prevent Sanjay Kapur’s wife, Priya Kapur, and others from interfering with the operations of the “RK Family Trust” while mediation is ongoing.
Earlier, On May 7, the apex court appointed former Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud to act as the mediator in the dispute between 80-year-old Rani Kapur and Priya Kapur concerning the family trust.
The matter was mentioned before a bench comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Ujjal Bhuyan.
While listing the application for hearing on May 14, the bench orally observed,
“Looks like we have entered into an arena where Mahabharata will look very small,”
In her updated application, Rani Kapur alleges that Priya Kapur and others are trying to take over control of certain companies and assets connected to the disputed family estate.
She has also expressed concern that, during the course of mediation, attempts may be made to sell off, transfer, or otherwise alienate the assets.
Rani Kapur therefore asked the Supreme Court to issue directions restraining Priya Kapur and others from interfering with the functioning of the trust and certain companies linked to the family estate until mediation concludes.
Additionally, On May 7, the Supreme Court asked all parties to participate in mediation with an open mind and had said:
“We make one request to all the parties before us that they may not make any statements in public and may not go on social media. This being a family matter, the endeavour on their part should be to get the disputes resolved at the earliest and put an end to the entire matter,”
The bench had further stated that it would be beneficial if the parties were able to resolve the overall dispute before the mediator, adding that otherwise the litigation could become prolonged.
It also clarified that the mediation would be limited only to the dispute currently under consideration.
Previously, on April 27, the Supreme Court had encouraged the parties to consider mediation, given the nature of the disagreement among family members.
On May 7, the court noted,
“Today, all the counsel appearing for the respective parties have very graciously agreed to go for mediation,”
Before posting the case for August 6, it had added,
“We shall await for a preliminary report from the mediator and thereafter proceed further with the matter,”
Earlier, on April 27, the Supreme Court had sought responses from Priya Kapur and others in relation to a lawsuit in which Rani Kapur asked for directions declaring the family trust “null and void.”
The bench issued notice to Priya Kapur and others after Rani Kapur alleged that the trust, allegedly established in her name in October 2017, was based on documents that were “forged, fabricated and fraudulent.”
The ongoing legal proceedings regarding control over the estate and assets are pending before the Delhi High Court. The Supreme Court petition seeks a status quo preventing alienation of properties held through the trust.
During the April 27 hearing, the Supreme Court also asked the parties in the dispute related to the Sona Group Family Trust to explore mediation.
In her lawsuit, Rani Kapur sought a direction to permanently restrain the defendants her daughter-in-law Priya Kapur and others, including her grandchildren from using or acting in any manner in furtherance of the “RK Family Trust.”
She claims that she is the sole beneficiary of her late husband Surinder Kapur’s entire estate. Surinder Kapur was the promoter of several businesses, including the “Sona Group of Companies,” and Rani Kapur alleged that a systematic fraud was carried out when assets were transferred into the RK Family Trust.
Rani Kapur further alleged that until his death, Sanjay never confirmed to her that she had been divested of all rights, assets, and legacy, and she was also never provided a copy of the trust she claims was created without her knowledge.
The lawsuit stated that,
“By means of a complex web of illegal transactions undertaken by the defendant Nos. 1 to 9 in an unfortunate collusion with the plaintiff’s now deceased son, late Mr. Sunjay Kapur, all the plaintiff’s assets vest in one fraudulent trust titled RK Family Trust, without her knowledge,”
Sanjay Kapur died on June 12 after collapsing during a polo match in England. He reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest.
Meanwhile, a separate plea by Karisma Kapoor’s two children challenging the authenticity of their late father’s purported will is also pending before the Delhi High Court, with the children accusing Priya Kapur of being greedy.