Sunjay Kapur property case: Karisma Kapoor’s children oppose sealed cover submission, say bank accounts ‘wiped off’

Sunjay Kapur property case: Karisma Kapoor’s children oppose sealed cover submission, say bank accounts ‘wiped off’

The legal battle over the estate of late businessman Sunjay Kapur, former chairman of Sona Comstar, intensified in the Delhi High Court on Thursday as his widow Priya Kapur sought permission to submit details of his movable and immovable assets in a sealed cover with a confidentiality clause. The request, however, met with immediate resistance from Sunjay’s children with actor Karisma Kapoor, who argued that secrecy would prevent them from verifying crucial financial transactions.

Priya Kapur Seeks Confidentiality

Priya Kapur, represented by Senior Advocate Shyel Trehan, filed the application in an ongoing partition suit brought by Sunjay’s children, Samaira and Kiaan, who are contesting the division of his estate and questioning the validity of his will. Trehan argued that while Priya was willing to disclose all assets, a confidentiality safeguard was necessary to protect sensitive bank details from media exposure and potential cyber security risks.

“There’s been a lot of media attention… there are bank details. We’re not shying away from disclosure, let there be confidentiality, that’s all,” Trehan submitted before Justice Jyoti Singh. She added that similar measures are sometimes adopted in commercial and intellectual property disputes, emphasizing that Priya was only asking for two pages of financial information to be kept under seal.

Children Push Back

Samaira and Kiaan, however, opposed Priya’s plea in strong terms. They claimed that bank accounts had already been “wiped off” and stressed that transparency was crucial for verifying both transactions and property details. “For properties, the world should know… How will I confirm the transactions (if sealed cover submission and confidentiality clause is ordered for)?” they argued.

Justice Singh appeared sympathetic to their concerns, observing orally that allowing such confidentiality might “impinge on the parties’ right to question or verify the assets disclosed.” The judge noted that objections, cross-submissions, and independent verifications are all part of a fair judicial process, and secrecy could undermine those checks. “Tomorrow, if they’ve to verify the list, if they’re bound by this confidentiality clause, how will they verify?… How will any party defend…? There are nuances,” she said.

The dispute also saw intervention from Sunjay’s mother, Rani Kapur. Senior Advocate Amit Sibal, appearing for her, asked that Rani be given access to the will and opposed Priya’s confidentiality request. “(Rani) also wants to verify the authenticity of the will independently. Order shouldn’t come in the way of it. If I want to give for forensic testing, I can’t (if confidentiality clause is allowed)… Law is the same for the rich and the poor,” Sibal submitted.

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Judicial Caution

Justice Singh has asked Priya’s counsel to bring judicial precedents, if any, for sealed cover disclosure of assets in inheritance disputes. “Has the court passed this kind of order? Show me some law,” the judge remarked, signaling that the request was legally unconventional.

While Trehan reiterated that no prejudice would be caused, pointing to commercial litigation practices, the court highlighted the key difference in succession cases, where multiple parties must have the right to cross-examine asset declarations.

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The case forms part of a partition suit that has already seen intense scrutiny, as Karisma Kapoor’s children demand their share of their father’s estate and cast doubt on his will. Priya’s attempt to shield certain financial details has now sparked a fresh round of courtroom debate on the balance between privacy and transparency in inheritance disputes.

The Delhi High Court is set to hear the matter further on Friday, when Priya’s legal team is expected to present precedents or a modified proposal. Until then, the questions raised by Justice Singh highlight the core issue: can confidentiality and sealed cover submissions coexist with the fundamental rights of heirs to challenge, verify, and contest asset declarations in a succession battle?