Delhi HC allows Priya Kapur to submit Sunjay Kapur's assets in court

The Delhi High Court allowed Priya Kapur to file Sunjay Kapur's assets in a sealed cover, ordering parties not to share case details with the media in the will dispute case

The Delhi High Court on Friday permitted Priya Kapur, widow of late businessman and former Sona Comstar chairperson Sunjay Kapur, to submit details of his assets in a sealed cover, subject to confidentiality. The court also directed that neither the parties nor their counsel should make statements to the media or disclose case material.

 

The order came in a suit filed by Samaira (20) and Kiaan Raj (15), children of actor Karisma Kapoor and Sunjay Kapur, who have challenged the authenticity of a will that allegedly excludes them and sought a share in their father’s estate. Priya Kapur had applied for permission to furnish a list of Sunjay’s movable and immovable assets in a sealed cover, or to form a “confidentiality club.”

 

Justice Jyoti Singh, after hearing counsels Rajiv Nayar for Priya Kapur and Mahesh Jethmalani for the plaintiffs, recorded their assurance that no information would be shared with the press.

 

Dictating the order, she noted: “It is agreed that the list of assets of Sunjay Kapur, both movable and immovable, will be filed in court in a sealed cover, copies will be shared with the parties... Mr Nayar submits that neither he nor other senior counsel, nor counsel on record, nor the clients would give any press statement or leak any information concerning this case. A similar assurance has been given to the court by Mr Jethmalani and the counsel on record, as well as the plaintiffs, as also Defendant 3 (Rani Kapur).”

 

The court also addressed an application by Rani Kapur, Sunjay’s mother, seeking a copy of the will. Counsel informed the court that the original will had been filed. Justice Singh ordered that it remain in the custody of the registrar general until the next hearing and that Rani Kapur be given a copy on the condition that it not be leaked to the media and be used only for case purposes.

 

During arguments, Jethmalani opposed confidentiality, alleging that assets were transferred to Priya Kapur soon after Sunjay’s death. “Confidentiality is a cloak by which you fritter away the assets… For me, there is no confidentiality,” he said.

 

Nayar countered that media leaks were driving a “trial by press.” He told the court: “We are not supposed to have a debate on assets in the public domain. I’m inviting a gag order on myself. Why should we not subject ourselves to regulation?”

 

Both applications, on asset disclosure and the will, were disposed of, with the matter to continue on the next date of hearing in October.