Mahabharat will look small: SC in Sanjay Kapoor’s Rs 30,000-crore family feud

The Supreme Court on Tuesday compared it to an explosive device $The Kapoor family’s 30,000-crore property battle has moved on to Mahabharat, with Justice JP Pardiwala noting that the epic war would “seem very small” compared to the dispute unfolding before the court. The sharp observation came as the Supreme Court heard a fresh plea from Rani Kapoor, mother of late industrialist Sanjay Kapoor, seeking to block moves linked to the disputed RK Family Trust even as mediation proceedings led by former CJI DY Chandrachud continue.

The observation was made on May 12 by a bench led by Justice JP Pardiwala while hearing a fresh petition filed by Rani Kapoor, 80-year-old mother of Sanjay Kapoor, in the ongoing dispute involving RK Family Trust and other family members.

“We have entered the arena. Mahabharat will seem very small,” Justice Pardiwala commented during the hearing, where the lawyers outlined new allegations linked to the functioning of the family trust and the proposed board meeting of the company.

The court referred the case to next May 14 session.

The latest round of lawsuits comes despite the Supreme Court, just days ago on May 7, appointing former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud as a mediator to help resolve the increasingly complex dispute between Rani Kapoor and Priya Sachdev Kapoor, the late businessman’s third wife.

It also requested postponement of the board meeting scheduled for May 18 as per a notice issued by Raghuvanshi Investment Private Limited, which allegedly controls a major portion of the disputed properties. According to the petition, the proposed meeting was intended to appoint additional directors to the board.

Rani Kapoor’s lawyer told the court that the developments could change the balance of control within the family-linked entities even as mediation proceedings continue.

The Supreme Court bench then made the ‘Mahabharat’ observation while acknowledging the intensity and scale of the conflict that has engulfed the Kapoor family since Sanjay Kapoor’s death last year.

A bench comprising Justices J.P. Pardiwala and Ujjal Bhuyan maintained that the dispute was essentially a “family dispute” and should remain confined within the family rather than turning into a public spectacle.

The jury noted, “This is a family dispute. Let it be confined to family members only. It should not be a source of entertainment.”

The court directed all parties to participate in the mediation proceedings “with an open mind” and warned them against making public statements or discussing the case on social media.

The judges also noted that if mediation failed, the matter could become a “protracted issue.”

In her suit, she claimed that she was the sole beneficiary of the estate of her late husband Surinder Kapoor, founder of Sona Group, and alleged that “systematic fraud” led to her assets being transferred to the trust structure.

According to the confession, Sanjay Kapoor never told her that she was being stripped of her rights to family assets and never provided her with a copy of credit documents during his lifetime.

Rani Kapoor further alleged that Priya Kapoor and others acted in collusion with Sanjay Kapoor to transfer assets to the trust through a “complex web of illegal transactions”.

She sought a declaration that the trust was null and void and asked the court to restrain the defendants from acting to enhance the trust.

Sanjay Kapoor, former head of auto component maker Sona Comstar, died in June 2025 after suffering a cardiac arrest during a polo match in England.

After his death, several family members went to court over claims to his vast estate, estimated by some reports to be as much as $100,000. $30,000 Crores.

The dispute widened after Priya Sachdev Kapoor submitted a will said to have been executed by Sanjay Kapoor, sparking objections from his children Samira and Kian, who questioned the authenticity of the document before the Delhi High Court.

The children, who are represented by their mother and actress Karisma Kapoor, sought a share in the estate and questioned why the will only came to light after Sanjay Kapoor’s death.

Court filings also cited disputes over beneficial ownership models, controlled properties and alleged transfers of stock associated with the Sona Comstar entities.

Rani Kapoor separately claimed assets worth approx $10,000 crore and claimed that she was forced to sign documents without full knowledge of their implications.

While appointing Chandrachud as mediator, the bench said it should be the endeavor of all parties “to resolve the dispute at the earliest and put an end to the entire matter”.

However, Rani Kapoor’s new application and the court’s dramatic ‘Mahabharat’ note suggest that tensions within the Kapoor family remain high even as mediation efforts begin.