Mahabharat will look very small: Supreme Court steps into bitter Kapur family trust battle

The Supreme Court on Tuesday found itself drawn deeper into the escalating battle within the Kapur family empire, with the bench remarking that the dispute appeared so intense that "Mahabharat will look very small."

The observation came as Rani Kapur, the 80-year-old mother of late businessman Sunjay Kapur, moved the top court with a fresh plea seeking urgent intervention in the ongoing family trust dispute involving Priya Sachdev Kapur and others.

Also Read: After losing my son, I'm now fighting for what we built: Rani Kapur on RK family Trust dispute


“We have entered into an arena. Mahabharat will look very small. We will look into it,” the bench, comprising Justice Pardiwala and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, remarked during the hearing.

Rani Kapur sought directions restraining Priya Sachdev Kapur and certain other respondents from interfering in the functioning of the “RK Family Trust” until mediation proceedings ordered by the Supreme Court on May 7 are concluded.

She also requested a stay on a board meeting scheduled for May 18 pursuant to a notice and agenda issued on May 8 by Raghuvanshi Investment Private Limited (RIPL), a key holding entity that controls a substantial portion of the disputed family estate.

The matter was mentioned before the bench by senior counsel Naveen Pahwa and Vaibhav Gaggar, appearing for Rani Kapur, who argued that despite the dispute being referred to mediation, RIPL had proceeded with steps that could alter the control structure of the company.

Also Read: SC pushes mediation in Sunjay Kapur family estate dispute

According to the plea, the agenda of the proposed May 18 board meeting includes the appointment of two additional independent directors and changes to bank signatories — moves that Rani Kapur fears could impact the ongoing dispute over the family-controlled assets.

Appearing for RIPL, senior advocate Gopal Jain defended the proposed appointments, telling the court that the respondent company is a non-banking financial company (NBFC) and that the appointments were being made in compliance with Reserve Bank of India guidelines.

After hearing both sides, the bench agreed to take up the fresh application for hearing on Thursday, May 14.

At the heart of the dispute is a civil suit filed by Rani Kapur, who has alleged that after suffering a stroke in 2017, her late son Sunjay Kapur and his wife Priya Sachdev Kapur took advantage of her medical condition in matters relating to the family trust and associated assets.

The case has since evolved into a high-stakes battle over control of the Kapur family estate, drawing multiple parties into litigation even as the Supreme Court attempts to steer the matter towards mediation.