Former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud will reportedly mediate the estate dispute between late businessman Sanjay Kapoor’s mother, Rani Kapoor, and his wife, Priya Sachdev Kapoor.
The Supreme Court bench led by Justice JP Pardiwala asked the parties to refrain from making any comments on social media or television about the mediation, LiveLaw reported.
Last week, the Delhi High Court ordered Priya Kapoor to preserve the assets held by Sanjay after his children with actor Karishma Kapoor, Samira and Kian pointed out suspicious circumstances regarding the will under which he allegedly handed over his entire property to their stepmother.
The validity of the will will be determined after the trial, which is likely to take some time, and pending the ruling, Sanjay’s assets should be preserved and not dissipated, bench Jyoti Singh said.
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Moreover, the Supreme Court restrained Priya Kapoor from disposing of, transferring, pledging or otherwise dealing in shares of three Indian companies, withdrawing provident fund amounts, disposing of personal works of art, or withdrawing money from three accounts in two Indian banks, except to fulfill obligations to the children under the divorce decree. Priya has also been banned from operating foreign bank accounts and from selling, transferring or otherwise dealing in cryptocurrency assets, HT reported earlier.
Earlier in April, the Supreme Court issued notice on the petition filed by Rani Kapoor, while making an observation about her involvement in the suit at the age of 80.
A bench of Justices JP Pardiwala and Vijay Bishnoi was hearing the matter when they observed that extended courtroom battles in such matters may not serve anyone’s interest.
The judge asked, “Why are you all fighting? You are 80 years old. This is not the appropriate age for your client to fight,” questioning the necessity of the conflict continuing.
Then the Supreme Court made a strong suggestion, saying: “Go to mediation once and for all, from A to Z. Otherwise, it is a waste of time.”
The case stems from a suit filed by Rani Kapoor challenging the establishment of the Rani Kapoor Family Trust. She claimed that the trust was structured in a way that deprived her of control over her assets, including her interests in the Sona Group.
Rani Kapoor also alleged that after she suffered a stroke in 2017, her late son Sanjay Kapoor and others acted in a way that transferred her assets without her informed consent.
The dispute over the properties began last year after Sanjay Kapoor’s death. Both sides, Rani and Priya Kapoor, have challenged each other’s claims.
