The legal dispute over Sunjay Kapur’s estate intensified recently in the Delhi High Court, raising significant doubts about the validity of the Will presented by his third wife, Priya Sachdev Kapur. Fresh statements from Shradha Suri Marwah, named as the executor in the contested document, have fueled the ongoing conflict, particularly involving Kapur’s children, Samaira and Kiaan, who are from his previous marriage to actress Karisma Kapoor.
During her court appearance, Suri, with her lawyer Anuradha Dutt, admitted to inconsistencies in her earlier account regarding how she received the Will. Initially, she stated that Priya Kapur had shared the document with her. However, she has since clarified that it was actually sent by Dinesh Agarwal, who emailed her on June 14 with what he claimed was the Will and asked her to act as executor. Suri noted that Agarwal later insisted he had mistakenly sent the trust deed and sent the Will again on the same day.
This new testimony has raised legal questions, especially since Agarwal had no recognized authority to appoint or communicate with an executor. The court observed that Suri was not aware of her role as executor prior to Kapur’s death and was not informed directly by him.
Suri also indicated she did not have legal help at that time and was struggling to understand the situation, implying that her role did not stem from Kapur’s wishes. Additionally, Suri’s request for protection from Priya Kapur, which is unusual for an executor defending a legitimate Will, has added more doubt.
Suri recounted that in a meeting on June 24, Priya assured her the document was Sunjay’s “last and only Will.” However, this statement seems to contradict Priya’s later admission that she was merely the nominee for Kapur’s assets, not the actual beneficiary. According to Indian inheritance laws, nominees are just custodians of assets, not inheritors, which could significantly affect the case’s outcome.
If the Will is found to be invalid, the estate would be divided equally among all Class I heirs, including his children, which Suri’s lawyer acknowledged in court.
These developments occur amidst concerns voiced by the children’s lawyer, Mahesh Jethmalani, who previously highlighted several issues with the document, including factual errors and inconsistencies in the metadata, suggesting the Will may not have originated from Kapur’s devices. With the recent testimony increasing uncertainties, the case is expected to undergo more thorough forensic and legal scrutiny as the court continues its hearings.
The case has attracted considerable media attention, especially given the involvement of Samaira and Kiaan, who are also the children of well-known actress Karisma Kapoor. While the children are prominently featured in the proceedings, Karisma has chosen to remain silent, demonstrating her respect for the judicial process.
