‘We all come empty-handed’: SC appeals for compromise in Sunjay Kapur family feud

THe sublime margaret court on th unemotional a francis scott key company linked to the inheritance dispute within the family of late businessman Sunjay Kapur from proceeding with the appointment of independent directors, even as it made a fresh appeal to the warring factions to amicably settle the bitter feud through mediation.A bench of justices JB Pardiwala and Ujjal Bhuyan observed that the 80-year-old Rani Kapur, mother of the late businessman, must have been “shaken” by the continuing dispute and urged all sides to “handle her with care”, while cautioning that the litigation could otherwise become a “long-drawn battle”.“We have been saying repeatedly that ‘settle it’. There is this 80-year-old woman. Sometime you have to compromise at some point of time. What all can you gain? We all come empty-handed and will go empty-handed. We only carry our soul in the end. Approach the mediator not with a heavy heart. There has to be a will to settle the matter…Try,” remarked the bench.The observations came while the court was hearing an interim application moved by Rani Kapur accusing her daughter-in-law Priya Kapur and others of attempting a “forced takeover” of the disputed estate despite the matter already being referred to mediation before former Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud.Also Read: SC’s mediation bid hits hurdle after Rani Kapur files plea against PriyaThe application objected to a proposed May 18 board meeting of Raghuvanshi Investment Private Limited (RIPL), a company linked to the family holdings, where appointments of two independent directors and changes in authorised banking signatories were proposed.SC's displeasure over fresh flare-upAt the outset, the bench expressed displeasure over the fresh flare-up despite its earlier efforts to facilitate mediation. “Why are you here again? We told you if you are not interested in mediation, we will not proceed further in that direction. We will hear this case and decide it,” it observed.Senior advocate Navin Pahwa, appearing for Rani Kapur, submitted that the proposed appointments were aimed at wresting control from her client, adding that RIPL holds substantial shares in the parent company. He urged the court that the matter should not be “complicated any further” during mediation proceedings.Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for RIPL, defended the proposed board resolutions and submitted that the company, being a non-banking financial company, was acting pursuant to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) directions issued after an inspection conducted in February. “RIPL is an investment company. She is a director and nobody is changing that,” Sibal said.When Sibal stressed that statutory compliance and investments required the resolutions to proceed, the bench responded: “Does not matter…wait for two months and then we will take a call.”The court also indicated that even the RBI-related compliances could await the mediation outcome.The judges repeatedly underscored that no party should take steps capable of aggravating tensions while mediation was underway. “Once we have requested the party not to do anything to irritate the other side…” the bench observed.“No one is in control of anything at present. Parties are before the mediators and let mediators explore all possibilities,” it added.In its order, the court recorded Rani Kapur’s apprehension that the proposed board meeting and appointments could aggravate the dispute and undermine the mediation process.“We do not propose to say anything further at this point of time. We have already requested the learned mediator to commence mediation. For the present, we request the parties not to do anything which will directly affect mediation proceedings,” stated the order.The bench further recorded that the agenda items objected to by Rani Kapur would not be taken up at the May 18 meeting for now. “We believe for the present, the agenda items objected to will not be taken up at the May 18 meeting,” the order said.The court also clarified that the RBI and other statutory authorities would not insist upon immediate compliance during this period. “In the meantime, the directives of the RBI and statutory compliances will not be pressed by the RBI or any other statutory authority,” the bench directed.During the hearing, the court made appeal to the family members to reconsider the prolonged litigation.“There is a 80-year-old woman already shaken by all this. She must be guided by so many people. With this frame of mind, handle her with care. We have asked you to explore the possibility of an amicable settlement. Otherwise, it is going to be a long drawn battle,” the bench observed.The court also briefly interacted with senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, appearing for the children of actor Karisma Kapoor from her earlier marriage with Sunjay Kapur.When informed that they were currently “watching the proceedings”, the bench remarked: “We asked him to also try mediation. He claims the will is forged but it might be too late even if he succeeds in proving it at some point in the future.”Jethmalani responded that his clients were also willing to approach the mediator if required.The proceedings arise from a petition filed by Rani Kapur seeking protection of the family estate and restraint against alleged interference with trusts and corporate entities linked to the Sona Group after the death of Sunjay Kapur, former chairman of Sona Comstar.Sunjay Kapur died of cardiac arrest while playing polo in London on June 12, 2025, following which the dispute escalated into competing claims over family trusts, shareholding structures and control of several companies linked to the business empire.Concluding the hearing on Thursday, the bench said it would examine the matter again after receiving a report from the mediator. “All the best to all parties,” the court remarked before concluding.