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The Supreme Court connected Thursday (May 14, 2026) barred a cardinal institution associated with the disputed household property of the precocious industrialist Sunjay Kapur from proceeding with the assignment of autarkic directors, portion renewing its entreaty to the feuding parties to resoluteness the bitter inheritance quality done mediation.
A Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Ujjal Bhuyan observed that octogenarian Rani Kapur, parent of the precocious industrialist, indispensable person been “shaken” by the continuing household feud, and urged the parties to amicably settee the quality to debar a “long-drawn battle”.
“...There is this 80-year-old woman. Sometimes you person to compromise astatine immoderate constituent successful time...We each travel empty-handed and volition spell empty-handed. We lone transportation our souls successful the end. Approach the mediator not with a dense heart. There has to beryllium a volition to settee the matter”, the Bench remarked.
The apical tribunal made the observations portion proceeding an interim exertion moved by Ms. Kapur alleging an attempted “forced takeover” of the disputed household assets. She contended that her daughter-in-law was attempting to presume power implicit cardinal companies and assets linked to the property contempt the Supreme Court’s May 7 bid appointing erstwhile Chief Justice of India D. Y. Chandrachud arsenic mediator to facilitate a negotiated settlement.
The plea objected to a projected May 18 committee gathering of Raghuvanshi Investment Private Limited (RIPL), which holds a controlling involvement successful the household holdings, wherever the assignment of 2 autarkic directors and changes to authorised banking signatories were slated for consideration.
Senior advocator Navin Pahwa, appearing for Ms. Kapur, argued that the projected appointments were intended to divest his lawsuit of control, pointing retired that RIPL held a important shareholding successful the genitor company. He urged the tribunal to support presumption quo portion mediation proceedings were underway.
“My shareholding is enactment successful the spot down my back. I was holding the bulk shares of each companies. My daughter-in-law transferred my shareholding into a trust,” helium said.
However, elder advocator Kapil Sibal, appearing for RIPIL, defended the projected resolutions and contended that the company, arsenic a non-banking fiscal company, was complying with directions issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) pursuing an inspection carried retired successful February.
“RIPL is an concern company. She is simply a manager and cipher is changing that,” Mr. Sibal said.
‘No disruption to mediation’
The Bench, however, declined to licence the assignment of autarkic directors and observed that compliance with the RBI directions could await the result of the mediation proceedings.
“In the meantime, the directives of the RBI and statutory compliances volition not beryllium pressed by the RBI oregon immoderate different statutory authority,” the Bench directed.
In its order, the tribunal took enactment of Ms. Rani Kapur’s apprehensions that the projected committee gathering and appointments could aggravate the household quality and adversely interaction the ongoing mediation process.
“We bash not suggest to accidental thing further astatine this constituent successful time. We person already requested the learned mediator to commence mediation. For the present, we petition the parties not to bash thing which volition straight impact mediation proceedings,” the Bench recorded successful its order.
The judges besides cautioned that if the rival parties were unwilling to meaningfully prosecute successful mediation, they would proceed to perceive the substance connected merits and render a decision.
“We told you that if you are not funny successful mediation, we volition not proceed further successful that direction. We volition perceive this lawsuit and determine it,” the Bench observed.
Accordingly, the Bench said it would analyse the substance again aft receiving a study from the mediator.
Sunjay Kapur, chairperson of automotive constituent shaper Sona Comstar, died of a cardiac apprehension portion playing polo successful London past year. The Rani Kapur Family Trust was constituted done a spot deed executed connected October 26, 2017, and presently holds shares successful Sona Comstar.
The proceedings earlier the apex tribunal originate from a petition filed by octogenarian Ms. Rani Kapur seeking extortion of the household estate. In her plea, Ms. Kapur has questioned the instauration and functioning of the household trust, alleging that the operation efficaciously divested her of power implicit important assets without her informed consent.
According to the petition, the quality dates backmost to 2017, erstwhile Ms. Kapur suffered a stroke. She has alleged that, pursuing her aesculapian condition, her precocious lad and others orchestrated the transportation of cardinal household assets into the spot without her implicit cognition oregon approval. The plea further claims that she was asked to motion documents nether the guise of regular administrative formalities.
