Sona Comstar’s Rs 30,000-crore feud: Sunjay Kapur's sister Mandhira alleges mother Rani was 'forced to sign papers'

Karisma Kapoor’s former husband, Sunjay Kapur — chairman of the auto components major Sona Comstar — passed away in June after a sudden cardiac arrest at the age of 53. His demise has since triggered disputes over control and succession in the family-owned enterprise. Amid these developments, his sister Mandhira Kapur has spoken out, alleging that their mother was coerced into signing legal documents in the days immediately following Sunjay’s death.

Speaking to Republic TV, Mandhira claimed that several individuals, including Sunjay’s widow Priya Sachdev Kapur, were present when her mother was asked to sign the papers. “During that mourning period of 13 days, things were pushed through. My mother was taken into a room, the doors were shut, and she was made to sign. Not once, but twice. I was outside, knocking, but she couldn’t hear me. She was inconsolable, she wasn’t in a state to even know what she was putting her name to,” she said.

Mandhira recounted how her mother later confided that she had no idea what she had signed. “We have been requesting copies of those papers since then, but no one is giving us clarity. The question is, what is being hidden? At some point, the facts will come out,” she told Republic TV.

She further pointed out that Priya Sachdev Kapur was inducted as a Non-Executive Director of Sona Comstar within days of Sunjay’s passing. However, when her mother asked Priya directly for the papers, Mandhira said Priya promised to share them but never followed through. “We were even told that her email had been compromised, so documents couldn’t be sent. It’s strange,” she remarked.

Although Mandhira acknowledged that she and her late brother had been estranged for the last four years, she stressed that she returned to support her mother after his death. “Whatever disagreements we had, it doesn’t erase decades of being family. I am still Dr Kapur’s daughter. If I don’t stand up for my mother, who will? And why are outsiders suddenly claiming rights over what was built by my family?” she asked.

Rejecting speculation that she was motivated by financial gain, Mandhira dismissed suggestions that her own business difficulties had driven her to stake a claim. “Every day I hear a new rumour about myself. I am not here to fight for inheritance. I am here to protect a legacy. When you’ve built something, it has value beyond just money. That emotional connection is what we’re standing for,” she said firmly in her interview.

Sona Comstar’s response to the dispute

Amid the family tussle, Sona Comstar clarified that Rani Kapur has had no direct or indirect association with the company since 2019.

In a communication addressed to the board, Rani Kapur asserted that she remains the sole heir to her late husband Surinder Kapur’s estate and continues to hold the majority ownership in the Sona Group, which includes Sona Comstar.

Her statement comes in the backdrop of Sunjay Kapur’s death on June 12 in the UK at the age of 53.