Delhi High Court Freezes Sunjay Kapur’s Global Assets Amid Inheritance Dispute

In a significant interim relief, the Delhi High Court on Thursday ordered the freezing of foreign bank accounts and cryptocurrency holdings linked to late industrialist Sunjay Kapur, while directing that his estate be preserved pending adjudication of an ongoing inheritance dispute.

The order comes as part of an interim injunction granted in favour of his children, Kiaan Kapur and Samaira Kapur, from his second marriage to actress Karisma Kapoor. The dispute involves Kapur’s third wife, Priya Sachdeva Kapur, over the distribution and control of assets reportedly valued at approximately ₹30,000 crore. Kapur passed away in London in June last year.

Court Orders Status Quo on Estate

Justice Jyoti Singh observed that the estate must not be dissipated during the pendency of the trial, noting that the proceedings could be protracted. The court directed the maintenance of status quo on all assets and restrained the creation of any third-party rights.

“The question whether the estate should be preserved—the answer is in the affirmative,” the court remarked, emphasising the need to safeguard the estate until all claims are fully examined.

The court further directed all parties to submit detailed financial disclosures, including complete account statements, to ensure transparency.

Allegations Over Will and Asset Disclosure

Counsel for the petitioners, Advocate Ravi Sharma, stated that the court has restrained Priya Kapur from dealing with any movable or immovable assets of the deceased, including properties, company shares, bank accounts, and cryptocurrency holdings.

Kiaan and Samaira have alleged that Priya Kapur forged a will attributed to Sunjay Kapur and submitted an incomplete inventory of his assets. They claim that several high-value items—including polo horses and luxury watches from brands such as Audemars Piguet and Rolex—were omitted from disclosures.

Family Raises Further Concerns

Sunjay Kapur’s mother, Rani Kapur, has also questioned the authenticity of the will, stating that she was neither informed of its existence nor included in its provisions. Represented by Senior Advocate Vaibhav Gaggar, she argued that it was improbable for her son to exclude his immediate family entirely in favour of a single beneficiary.

She further alleged that following Kapur’s death, Priya Kapur moved swiftly to assume control of key assets and business interests, while disclosures made before the court remained incomplete. These, she claimed, excluded valuable holdings such as artworks, watches, insurance policies, rental income, and certain bank accounts. She also questioned the declared estate valuation of approximately ₹1.7 crore, citing discrepancies with Kapur’s known financial standing.

Court Flags ‘Suspicious Circumstances’

Taking note of what it described as “suspicious circumstances,” the High Court restrained Priya Kapur from operating the deceased’s bank accounts and from transferring personal belongings, artworks, and provident fund proceeds. The court also observed that Priya Kapur had previously consented to certain restrictions.

Importantly, the court placed the onus on Priya Kapur to dispel doubts regarding the authenticity of the will. It noted that the petitioners had established a prima facie case and cautioned that failure to intervene at this stage could result in injustice if the will is later found to be invalid.

The matter remains under judicial consideration, with the court’s interim measures aimed at preserving the estate until a final determination is reached.