The Supreme Court expressed optimism on Thursday regarding an amicable settlement in the ongoing estate dispute involving the family of late industrialist Sunjay Kapur, following a favorable preliminary report from court-appointed mediator D Y Chandrachud.
A bench comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran noted that the mediation process has completed six sessions so far, with former Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud engaging with all family members. Observing active cooperation among the parties, the court granted the mediator’s request to extend the timeline for the proceedings until November 2.
The bench encouraged all involved family members to participate in the upcoming sessions with an open mind to prevent prolonged litigation. Additionally, the top court ruled that the mediator’s fees must be disbursed directly from the RK Family Trust without further dispute.
Background of the Trust Dispute
The court action stems from a petition filed by Sunjay Kapur’s 80-year-old mother, Rani Kapur, who is challenging the validity of the RK Family Trust established in October 2017. She has petitioned the Supreme Court to declare the trust null and void, alleging that her late son colluded with his wife, Priya Kapur, and other relatives to transfer estate assets into the trust using forged and fraudulent documents without her knowledge.
Rani Kapur maintains that she is the sole legal beneficiary of the estate left by her late husband, Surinder Kapur, founder of the Sona Group of Companies. Her suit seeks a status quo on the alienation of all trust assets and a permanent injunction restraining Priya Kapur, her children, and other co-defendants from operating or drawing from the trust.
The Supreme Court had previously issued notices to Priya Kapur and co-respondents on April 27 while directing the family to explore mediation.
Parallel Legal Proceedings
Sunjay Kapur died on June 12, 2025, after suffering a cardiac arrest during a polo match in England. According to Rani Kapur’s plea, her late son never disclosed the trust documents or informed her that her assets had been transferred during his lifetime.
The broader litigation regarding control of the family estate remains pending before the Delhi High Court. In a separate legal challenge also before the Delhi High Court, the two children of actor Karisma Kapoor—Sunjay Kapur’s former wife—have contested the authenticity of their late father’s purported will, alleging financial impropriety against Priya Kapur.
