What is Sona Comstar succession dispute: Rani Kapur seeks UK probe in Sunjay Kapur’s death amid Rs 30,000 crore family feud

Source: (Left) Sunjay Kapur's LinkedIn profile, (Right) Priya Sachdev Instagram post

The death of high-profile Indian-American businessman Sunjay Kapur has escalated into a high-drama and high-stakes family feud complete with conspiracy charges, inheritance battles, boardroom struggles for power and international legal intervention.

On August 4, ANI quoted Rani Kapur, Sunjay Kapur's mother, as having formally lodged a criminal complaint with the UK authorities, calling for an investigation into the suspicious circumstances of her son's untimely death.

Sunjay Kapur, aged 50, passed away on June 12 playing polo at Surrey's Old Guards Polo Club in the UK. While the initial reports suggested it was a heart attack, Rani Kapur has alleged foul play and has demanded a full-scale investigation with British, Indian, and possibly American authorities since Sunjay Kapur was a US citizen.

"The events leading to Sunjay's death are very alarming," a family source informed ANI, further saying that the UK authorities have been urged to take immediate action.

"I still don't know what happened to my son. I am old now. I need closure before I go," Rani said during an emotional interview with ANI, her first ever media appearance since the incident.

A family source told ANI, "The turn of events in Sunjay's death are seriously troubling." Given that Sunjay is an American citizen, ANI also confirmed that American agencies have started monitoring the case.

Having a formal UK police complaint lodged, and possible American jurisdictional interest at play owing to Sunjay's citizenship, this corporate and family drama could soon make international legal inroads.

What is the family feud?

The source of the feud is Sona BLW Precision Forgings Ltd (Sona Comstar), a Gurugram-headquartered billion-dollar automobile components behemoth. Sunjay Kapur had run the business since 2015, following his father Dr Surinder Kapur's death. His net worth was estimated at $1.2 billion (Rs 10,300 crore) by Forbes in 2024, with a high point valuation of $1.6 billion (Rs 13,000 crore).

Following the death of Sunjay, the company inducted his wife, Priya Sachdev Kapur, as a non-executive director from July 23, 2025. This drew strong protests from Rani Kapur, who, on July 24, in a letter, accused her of being coerced to sign documents behind closed doors and deprived of access to her own bank accounts. She also accused her of misleading her into surrendering control of the company and family trust.

She had asserted that some individuals, allegedly Priya Sachdev, were "purporting to be the largest shareholders" according to information received under compulsion.

Sona Comstar responded with a Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) filing denying all her allegations. The firm stated that Rani Kapur has never had any direct or indirect interest in Sona Comstar since 2019, and termed her allegations as "baseless and legally untenable."

On July 30, it was reported that the company also issued her a legal notice warning against further making of "false and defamatory statements."

The company has insisted she withdraw her July 24 letter to the board, investors, and stakeholders. It threatened legal action such as civil or criminal proceedings if the issue is not resolved within three days of notice.

Rs 30,000 crore empire at stake

The fight is also for who will inherit the Rs 30,000 crore (approx.) empire that has stakes in various international ventures. NDTV reports that the race-horse breeder RK Family Trust, which owns the promoter share in Sona Comstar through Aureus Investments Pvt Ltd, listed Sunjay Kapur as its sole beneficiary.

After his passing, the reins should pass on to Priya Sachdev Kapur, whom he married in 2017. But this has brought into question the rights of his two kids from ex-wife Bollywood actress Karisma Kapoor -- Samaira (20) and Kiaan (14).

NDTV reports that Sunjay had gifted Rs 14 crore in bonds to his children and ensured a monthly income of Rs 10 lakh each. Moreover, Karisma Kapoor received a family-owned property, originally belonging to Sunjay’s father, during their divorce settlement.

That said, there has been intense online criticism of Priya and her ex-husband's daughter, Safira Chatwal. Following Priya's changing of her Instagram handle to "Priya Sunjay Kapur", Safira also allegedly removed "Chatwal" from her surname, raising questions regarding legacy positioning.

While that was happening, Rani Kapur, in her recent ANI interview, spoke of the origins of the company, she reminisced about Sona Comstar's early days. "I recall the early days of Sona—founded with care, sacrifice, and love," she stated, emphasising her emotional and historical connections with the company.

Her words seem to contradict Sona Comstar's statement that she has not been involved with the firm since 2019.

Although the company is adamant that Rani Kapur has no direct or indirect participation in its affairs since then, she had a different opinion. “I am here to remind the world that our family’s legacy must not be lost. It must be passed on, as my husband always wanted it to be,” she told ANI.

Due to her advanced age and deteriorating health, Rani Kapur said that she would not make further public statements. “My legal team will address everything necessary,” she said, suggesting that the matter will now unfold through formal legal processes.