“We Came With Empty Hands”: Supreme Court Urges Kapur Family To Settle Estate Dispute

In Rani Kapur Vs Priya Kapur, the Supreme Court on Thursday urged members of the Kapur family to resolve their ongoing inheritance dispute amicably, observing that prolonged family battles over wealth serve little purpose in life. The Court made the remarks while hearing a plea filed by Rani Kapur, mother of late industrialist Sunjay Kapur.

A Bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan refused to stay a scheduled board meeting of Raghuvanshi Investment Private Limited (RIPL), a company that reportedly controls a substantial portion of the disputed estate. However, the Court directed that proposals relating to appointment of two independent directors and change in bank signatories should not be taken up during the meeting.

The Bench also said it wanted to review the progress of mediation proceedings already initiated in the dispute. Former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has been appointed as mediator in the matter.

During the hearing, the Court repeatedly encouraged the family to settle the issue outside litigation. Referring to the age of Rani Kapur, who is 80 years old, the Bench remarked, “We all came with empty hands and we have to go with empty hands. All we carry is our souls.”

The Court further observed that all parties should approach mediation with sincerity and not treat it as a mere procedural formality. It warned that the dispute could otherwise turn into a prolonged legal battle affecting the entire family.

Rani Kapur has alleged that she was wrongfully deprived of her estate and legacy through what she described as a fraudulent family trust arrangement. According to her plea, the RK Family Trust or Rani Kapur Family Trust names her as the settlor and trustee on paper, but allegedly benefits Priya Kapur and others while excluding her and other family members.

Her immediate objection before the Supreme Court concerned a notice issued for the May 18 board meeting of RIPL. She argued that the meeting was called shortly after the Supreme Court referred the dispute to mediation earlier this month.

Senior Advocate Navin Pahwa, appearing for Rani Kapur, argued that the proposed board decisions could weaken her position in the company structure. He claimed that her shareholding had been transferred into the trust without her informed consent.

On the other hand, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the respondents, submitted that the Reserve Bank of India had directed appointment of two independent directors by May 21 following an inspection.

The Supreme Court clarified that RBI directions and other statutory compliances would not be insisted upon for the moment while mediation continues.

Rani Kapur has alleged that after suffering a stroke in 2017, she was made to sign documents, including blank papers, under the guise of administrative requirements. She claims that her late son Sunjay Kapur and Priya Kapur misused her physical condition to transfer family assets into the trust.

The dispute intensified after Sunjay Kapur’s death last year. Parallel proceedings relating to control of the estate are also pending before the Delhi High Court. Recently, the High Court restrained Priya Kapur from creating third-party rights over certain assets following a plea filed by the children of actor Karisma Kapoor and Sunjay Kapur.