'Mahabharat will look small': Supreme Court on ₹30,000-crore Kapur family inheritance war despite mediation

The Supreme Court on Tuesday likened the explosive ₹30,000-crore Kapur family estate dispute to the Mahabharat, with Justice J. B. Pardiwala remarking that the epic war would "look very small" compared to the feud unfolding before the court.

The observation came during the hearing of a fresh plea filed by Rani Kapur, mother of late industrialist Sunjay Kapur, seeking to restrain moves linked to the disputed RK Family Trust while mediation proceedings led by former Chief Justice of India D. Y. Chandrachud are underway.

"We have entered into an arena. Mahabharat will look very small. We will look into it," Justice Pardiwala observed as lawyers detailed fresh allegations regarding the functioning of the family trust and a proposed board meeting linked to the disputed estate.

The bench listed the matter for further hearing on May 14.

The latest round of litigation comes despite the Supreme Court appointing former CJI Chandrachud as mediator on May 7 to help resolve the growing dispute between Rani Kapur and Priya Sachdev Kapur, the third wife of Sunjay Kapur.

In her fresh application, Rani Kapur sought directions restraining Priya Sachdev Kapur and other respondents from interfering with the functioning of the RK Family Trust until mediation concludes. She also sought a stay on a board meeting scheduled for May 18 by Raghuvanshi Investment Private Limited, which allegedly controls a significant portion of the estate. According to the plea, the meeting aims to appoint additional directors to the board.

Senior counsel appearing for Rani Kapur argued that these developments could alter the balance of control within family-linked entities while mediation is still ongoing.

DY Chandrachud appointed mediator

On May 7, the Supreme Court formally referred the dispute to mediation and appointed former CJI D. Y. Chandrachud to oversee the process after all parties agreed to attempt a negotiated settlement.

A bench comprising Justices Pardiwala and Ujjal Bhuyan observed that the matter was essentially a family dispute and should not become public spectacle.

"It is a family dispute. Let it be confined among the family only. It should not be a source of entertainment," the bench had said.

The court directed all parties to participate in mediation with an open mind and advised them against making public statements or discussing the matter on social media.

Dispute over RK Family Trust

At the centre of the legal battle is the RK Family Trust, which Rani Kapur alleges was created through "forged, fabricated and fraudulent" documents without her knowledge.

In her suit, she claimed to be the sole beneficiary of the estate of her late husband Surinder Kapur, founder of the Sona Group, and alleged that a "systematic fraud" resulted in her assets being transferred into the trust structure.

According to the plea, Sunjay Kapur never informed her that she had allegedly been divested of rights over family assets and never shared copies of the trust documents during his lifetime.

Rani Kapur further alleged that Priya Kapur and others acted in collusion with Sunjay Kapur to move assets into the trust through "a complex web of illegal transactions". She has sought a declaration that the trust is null and void and requested the court to restrain respondents from acting further on the basis of the trust.

₹30,000-crore estate battle

The dispute has emerged as one of the most closely watched inheritance battles involving a prominent Indian business family.

Sunjay Kapur, former chairman of Sona Comstar, died in June 2025 after reportedly suffering a cardiac arrest during a polo match in England.

Following his death, multiple family members approached courts over claims to his estate, estimated at nearly ₹30,000 crore.

The dispute intensified after Priya Sachdev Kapur allegedly presented a will said to have been executed by Sunjay Kapur, triggering objections from his children Samaira and Kiaan, represented through actor Karisma Kapoor. The children challenged the authenticity of the will before the Delhi High Court and sought a share in the estate.

Court filings also referred to disputes over beneficiary ownership forms, trust-controlled holdings and alleged share transfers linked to Sona Comstar entities.

Rani Kapur separately claimed assets worth around ₹10,000 crore and alleged that she had been made to sign documents without fully understanding their implications.

Despite the escalating conflict, the Supreme Court has repeatedly stressed the need for a peaceful resolution through mediation, saying all parties should attempt to resolve the matter at the earliest and bring the prolonged dispute to an end.