|
The Delhi High Court has allowed the interim injunction plea filed by the children of Karisma Kapoor, directing maintenance of the status quo on the estate of late Sunjay Kapur and restraining the creation of third-party rights over the assets.
The Court also directed the filing of account statements and restrained the operation of foreign bank accounts and cryptocurrency holdings. Observing that "suspicious circumstances" have been raised by the petitioners and Defendant 3 (Rani Kapur), the Court held that the onus lies on Priya Kapur (Defendant 1) to dispel such doubts. It further ruled that the question of preservation of the estate must be answered in the affirmative, noting that the trial may take time and, in the meantime, the assets must be protected. The Court added that all legitimate concerns raised by the petitioners must be addressed by Defendant 1 The order comes in a high-profile dispute over the estate of late industrialist Sunjay Kapur, where the Delhi High Court had earlier reserved its verdict on interim applications after concluding hearings. The injunction plea was moved by his children from his previous marriage with actor Karisma Kapoor, who has challenged the authenticity of the Will. During arguments, Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayar, appearing for Priya Kapur, denied allegations of concealment or siphoning of assets and maintained that full disclosures had been made. He also disputed claims regarding high-value items and defended the validity of the Will, stating it followed a format similar to another family Will. Opposing this, Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, representing the children, pointed to alleged inconsistencies in the Will, including its language, lack of registration, and questions over its preparation, arguing that heightened scrutiny was required as Priya Kapur is both the propounder and sole beneficiary. Separately, Sunjay Kapur's mother has also challenged the Will, claiming she was unaware of its existence and disputing the extent of asset disclosures. The dispute, involving assets estimated at nearly 30,000 crore, continues to be adjudicated, with the High Court's interim order now ensuring preservation of the estate pending trial. (ANI)
|
