Kapur Estate Battle: Children Allege Forgery, Seek Partition in ₹30,000 Crore High Court Suit

NEW DELHI – The sudden death of industrialist Sunjay Kapur, chairman of auto-components giant Sona Comstar, has ignited a high-stakes legal battle over his estimated ₹30,000 crore estate. In a civil suit filed before the Delhi High Court, Kapur’s children from his former marriage to Bollywood actor Karisma Kapoor have challenged the validity of his last will, alleging it was forged by their stepmother, Priya Kapur, in an attempt to unlawfully control the entirety of the assets.

The suit, titled Ms. Samaira Kapur & Anr. v. Mrs. Priya Kapur & Ors. , has been filed by daughter Samaira Kapur (20) and minor son Kiaan Raj Kapur (14), represented through their mother and legal guardian, Karisma Kapoor. The plaint seeks a decree of partition, a full rendition of accounts for the estate, and a permanent injunction against the defendants to prevent alienation of the assets.

The legal challenge raises fundamental questions of testamentary capacity, authenticity of wills, and the rights of Class I legal heirs, positioning this case as a significant matter for practitioners in succession and family law.

The Core of the Dispute: A Contested Will

At the center of the controversy is a will dated March 21, 2025, which purportedly bequeaths Sunjay Kapur’s entire personal estate to his third wife, Priya Kapur. The plaintiffs contend this document is a complete fabrication, citing a series of "suspicious circumstances" surrounding its emergence.

According to the suit, Priya Kapur initially informed Karisma Kapoor and the children that no will existed and that all of Sunjay Kapur's assets were held within the R.K. Family Trust. This narrative allegedly changed weeks later, culminating in a dramatic reveal at a meeting on July 30, 2025, at the Taj Mansingh Hotel in New Delhi. During this meeting, the purported executor, Shradha Suri Marwah (Defendant No. 4), is said to have briefly "flashed a document" from a distance, declaring it to be the deceased's final will.

The lawsuit claims: “The Plaintiffs submit that the purported will allegedly executed by the Plaintiffs’ father is not a legal and valid document, is forged and fabricated and in any event surrounded by suspicious circumstances. It is for this reason that neither the original of the Alleged Purported Will has been shown to the Plaintiffs nor a copy of the Alleged Purported Will has been provided.”

The plaintiffs allege that this conduct is part of a calculated effort by Priya Kapur to "usurp full control" of the estate. The suit names Priya Kapur, her minor son Azarias Kapur, Sunjay Kapur's mother Rani Kapur, and executor Shradha Suri Marwah as defendants.

Legal Arguments and Reliefs Sought

The plaintiffs have mounted a multi-pronged legal attack, asserting their rights as Class I legal heirs who, they argue, cannot be disinherited through a fraudulent document. Their legal team, led by Advocates Shantanu Agarwal & Manas Arora, has sought several key reliefs from the Delhi High Court:

• Declaration of Rights: A declaration that the plaintiffs are Class I legal heirs and are entitled to a share in their father’s estate.
• Decree of Partition: The suit pleads for a preliminary decree of partition granting each child a one-fifth share in the assets of the late Sunjay Kapur. This suggests the plaintiffs are accounting for themselves, their stepmother Priya Kapur, their half-brother Azarias, and their paternal grandmother Rani Kapur as potential Class I heirs.
• Rendition of Accounts: A mandatory injunction directing the defendants to provide a complete and transparent accounting of all personal assets and effects of the deceased. The plaint notes that the plaintiffs do not have full information on the estate's composition and accuses Priya Kapur of actively concealing details.
• Interim Injunction: Crucially, the suit seeks immediate interim relief to restrain the defendants from "alienating, transferring, selling or in any manner creating any third-party interests" in the estate’s assets until the matter is adjudicated. This move to freeze the assets is critical to preserving the status quo and preventing the dissipation of the estate.

The plaintiffs also allege that the witnesses to the purported will are employees under the influence of Priya Kapur, further cementing their claim that the document was fabricated post-demise for personal gain.

Background and Family Dynamics

Sunjay Kapur, who passed away suddenly at the age of 53 on June 12, 2025, in the United Kingdom, was a prominent figure in India's automotive industry. He inherited the Sona group from his father, Dr. Surinder Kapur, in 2015 and successfully steered Sona Comstar to a market capitalization exceeding ₹31,000 crore.

His personal life was equally high-profile. He was married to actor Karisma Kapoor from 2003 to 2016. Despite their divorce, the suit emphasizes that Sunjay Kapur maintained a close and affectionate relationship with their children, Samaira and Kiaan.

The plaintiffs argue that until their father's sudden demise, they "shared a close relationship with him, including frequent travels, holidays, and regular involvement in his business and personal milestones." They claim he had repeatedly assured them of their financial security and had initiated business ventures in their names.

This narrative is central to their legal argument, as it seeks to establish the improbability of their complete exclusion from their father's will, thereby adding weight to the allegations of forgery.

Implications for Estate and Succession Law

This case serves as a stark reminder of the complexities inherent in high-value estate litigation, particularly where blended families are involved. Legal experts will be closely watching the Delhi High Court’s handling of several key issues:

• The Burden of Proof: While the onus is typically on the propounder of a will to prove its validity, the serious allegations of forgery and fabrication place a significant evidentiary burden on the plaintiffs. The court's examination of the "suspicious circumstances" will be pivotal.
• Interim Relief: The court's decision on the plea to freeze the assets will be the first major indicator of its direction. Granting such an injunction would signal a prima facie acceptance of the plaintiffs' concerns regarding the will's authenticity and the potential for irreparable harm.
• Role of the Executor: The conduct of the named executor, Shradha Suri Marwah, will come under intense scrutiny. Her fiduciary duty is to the estate and all its beneficiaries, and her alleged actions during the will's reveal will be a key point of contention.

As the legal battle unfolds, it is set to become a landmark case in Indian succession law, testing the principles of testamentary freedom against the statutory rights of legal heirs in the face of alleged fraud and manipulation. The plaint is expected to be listed for hearing on September 10, 2025.