High Court orders preservation of Sunjay Kapur’s assets

The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed preservation of the assets of late Sunjay Kapur, ruling that all “suspicious circumstances” raised by the industrialist’s children from his marriage with actor Karisma Kapoor have to be completely removed by his third wife, Priya Kapur, before the acceptance of his purported last will.

Justice Jyoti Singh passed the interim order on an application filed by Karisma Kapoor’s children to restrain Priya Kapur from alienating their father’s assets, reportedly worth `30,000 crore. The interim application was filed in a suit by the children, challenging their late father’s purported will of his assets.

“Having heard and on examination of the material on record, I have the considered view that all legitimate suspicious circumstances raised by the plaintiffs will have to be completely removed by defendant number one (Priya Kapur) before the document is accepted as the last will,” the judge said.

“Plaintiffs have made out a prima-facie case that the assets which are subject matter need to be protected, preserved, pending disposal of the suit,” she added. Justice Singh ordered that the equity shareholdings in the three Indian companies of the deceased cannot be changed and also restrained the disposal of his personal effects, including artwork.

The court said if the assets are not preserved and Priya Kapur ultimately fails to prove the validity and genuineness of the will, the deceased’s children from his marriage with Karisma Kapoor — his second wife — and his mother Rani Kapur would be deprived of their legitimate shares.