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In a fresh development in the estate dispute relating to late businessman Sanjay Kapur, the Supreme Court of India on Monday issued notice on a plea filed by Rani Kapur, seeking responses from Priya Sachdev Kapur and 22 others. The Court also indicated that mediation may be an appropriate course to explore in resolving the dispute.
A Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and Vijay Bishnoi observed during the hearing that prolonged litigation in such family disputes may not be beneficial. The Court remarked, "Why are you all fighting? "You are 80. This is not the age for your client to fight." Go for mediation once and for all, from A to Z. Otherwise, this is a waste." Emphasising the need for an amicable resolution, the Bench stated, "It will be in the interest of all the parties concerned if they go for a mediation and try to resolve the disputes peacefully and equitably... We shall, if necessary, hear the matter on merits; however, first, we should make an attempt to convince the parties to go for mediation." The matter is scheduled to be listed next week. The petition filed before the Supreme Court seeks directions to restrain the respondents from interfering with the estate, assets, and related affairs. Rani Kapur has also challenged orders passed by the Delhi High Court, contending that the estate has not yet been preserved and raising concerns about possible dissipation of assets. Senior Advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for Rani Kapur, submitted that in disputes involving large estates, courts generally grant protective orders at an early stage. He was assisted by Senior Advocate Vaibhav Gaggar and Advocate-on-Record Smriti Churiwal. Senior Advocate Madhavi Divan appeared for Mandhira Kapur Smith, one of the affected parties. Senior Advocate Naveen Pahwa, appearing for affected grandchildren, supported the plea and submitted that they had been excluded. The dispute originates from a suit filed by Rani Kapur challenging the creation of the Rani Kapur Family Trust, alleging that it was set up in a manner that divested her of control over her estate, including interests in the Sona Group. She has claimed that following a stroke in 2017, her late son and others acted in a way that led to transfer of assets without her informed consent. The dispute intensified after Sanjay Kapur's death last year, with competing claims emerging over control of family assets and business interests. Parallel proceedings on related issues are currently pending before the Delhi High Court. In a recent interview with ANI, Rani Kapur spoke about the dispute and its personal impact. She stated, "I am the head of the family and I am nobody for her," referring to the ongoing conflict over the RK Family Trust and control of the family's legacy. She described the situation as distressing, particularly after the death of her son, and stated that the assets in question were built over decades by her husband and entrusted to her. She also referred to the family's move from Mumbai to Delhi during earlier years to establish their business and home. (ANI)
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