The Madras High Court is currently involved in a legal dispute concerning the property of the late Bollywood star Sridevi, located on Chennai’s East Coast Road (ECR). The court has instructed the local tahsildar to provide a clear verdict within four weeks. This case was initiated by film producer Boney Kapoor, who has accused three individuals of fraudulently claiming ownership of land that his wife acquired in 1988.
Justice N. Anand Venkatesh presided over the hearing and responded to Kapoor’s request to annul a legal heirship certificate that was issued to the claimants in 2005. Kapoor argues that this certificate was wrongfully granted and is being misused to assert rights over Sridevi’s property.
The land in question has a long history. It was originally owned by M.C. Sambanda Mudaliar, whose family divided the property among his children in 1960. Based on this division, Sridevi legally purchased the land on April 19, 1988, ensuring full possession for her family, which they used as a farmhouse.
Things became complicated when three individuals—claiming to be the second wife and children of one of Mudaliar’s sons—started to assert their rights to the inheritance and obtained a legal heirship certificate in 2005 from the Tambaram tahsildar.
Boney Kapoor has challenged the legitimacy of their claims, arguing that the tahsildar had no authority to issue such a certificate, considering the original landowner lived in Mylapore. He also contended that the alleged second marriage was not legally valid, thus making the claimants ineligible as heirs under the Hindu Succession Act.
Kapoor has submitted evidence proving the authenticity of the land purchase and asked the court to declare the heirship certificate as fraudulent. After reviewing both sides of the argument, Justice Venkatesh directed the Tambaram tahsildar to conduct a thorough investigation and reach a decision within four weeks.
This dispute has garnered attention not just for its legal implications but also for its emotional significance, as it touches on the legacy of one of Indian cinema’s most cherished actors, whose passing in 2018 continues to resonate with many fans.
