Karisma Kapoor’s children have accused their stepmother Priya Sachdev Kapur of forging their father Sunjay Kapur’s will and rushing to take over his vast estate. Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani compared her to “Cinderella’s stepmother” during the Delhi High Court hearing.
NEW DELHI: Karisma Kapoor’s children have taken their stepmother, Priya Sachdev Kapur, to court over a major property dispute concerning their late father Sunjay Kapur’s assets.
The case, being heard by the Delhi High Court, turned dramatic on Thursday when the children compared their stepmother to the infamous character from the fairytale world — “Cinderella’s stepmother.”
Appearing on behalf of the Kapoor children, Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani launched sharp allegations against Priya Kapur. He told the Court that right after Sunjay Kapur’s death, Priya was in a “tearing hurry” to gain control over her late husband’s wealth and limit the children’s rightful share.
“The tearing hurry was so that the children’s share is restricted to 26% and she appropriates the rest. Therein lies the veneer. This is no benign stepmother. This is Cinderella’s stepmother,”
Jethmalani said, referring to Lady Tremaine, the cruel stepmother from the Cinderella story. He alleged that Priya Kapur and her minor son control nearly 75% of the family trust, leaving Karisma Kapoor’s children with only 26%.
He also accused Priya of publicly spreading misinformation about the children’s inheritance, saying that she had claimed they received nearly ₹2,000 crore, which now makes them targets for criminals.
“These children are made targets of any kidnapper,”
he told the court, warning that such statements endanger their safety.
The case was heard by Justice Jyoti Singh. The Kapoor siblings have sought an injunction to stop Priya Kapur from creating third-party rights over their father’s properties until the partition case is resolved.
They have also alleged that Priya forged Sunjay Kapur’s will in collusion with two witnesses to take complete control of the assets.
Jethmalani questioned the validity of the alleged will dated March 21, 2025, which supposedly leaves Sunjay Kapur’s entire personal estate to Priya Sachdev Kapur.
“All these documents indicate that the person who was executing these assets was not the executor but Priya,”
he said, referring to Shradha Suri Marwah, who was named as the executor of the will.
Jethmalani further alleged that Priya had manipulated the witnesses for personal gain.
“These witnesses are then appointed to positions in the company. The will is forged. It is a crime under Section 464 IPC, which is forgery. It carries life imprisonment,”
he asserted, adding that neither of the two witnesses had filed affidavits supporting the will.
“They have not and that makes it more suspicious,”
he said.
However, Advocate Anuradha Dutt, appearing for the executor, strongly disputed Jethmalani’s claims, arguing that the suit itself was not maintainable and that the will had not even been formally challenged.
The Court was informed that Jethmalani had been personally present during the formal reading of the will, which, according to Priya’s counsel, proves the document’s legitimacy.
During Thursday’s hearing, Justice Jyoti Singh opened the sealed envelope containing the will and the list of assets submitted by Priya Kapur. The Court noted that the list of assets did not bear any signature, which raised further concerns. The judge then directed Priya Kapur to resubmit the list with her signature and an affidavit.
The hearing will continue on Monday, when Jethmalani will resume his arguments. After that, the lawyers representing Priya Kapur, Shradha Suri Marwah, and Rani Kapur (Sunjay’s mother) will present their side.
Karisma Kapoor and Sunjay Kapur were married from 2003 to 2016 and share two children. After their divorce, Sunjay married Priya Sachdev Kapur.
The family dispute now centers on the authenticity of the will, the distribution of over ₹2,000 crore in assets, and the alleged forgery under Section 464 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), a serious offence carrying life imprisonment if proven.
Explanatory Table of Laws and Sections Involved
| Law / Section | Statute / Act | Explanation in Simple Terms | Relevance to This Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section 464 IPC | Indian Penal Code, 1860 | Defines “forgery” — creating, altering, or using a false document intending to cause harm or deceive. Punishable with imprisonment up to life. | Allegation by Jethmalani that Priya Kapur forged Sunjay Kapur’s will with help from witnesses. |
| Forgery under IPC (Sections 463–471) | Indian Penal Code, 1860 | Covers a series of offences related to false documents, forged signatures, and fraudulent intent. | Supports the main charge that the will was not genuine and was fabricated. |
| Succession and Wills | Indian Succession Act, 1925 | Governs the validity, execution, and attestation of wills, and defines executor’s duties. | Central to the dispute: authenticity of the will dated 21 March 2025. |
| Partition and Property Rights | Civil Procedure Code, 1908 | Partition suits allow heirs to claim their rightful share in inherited property. | Karisma’s children have filed a partition suit to secure their share in Sunjay Kapur’s estate. |
| Interim Relief / Injunction | Order XXXIX Rules 1 & 2, CPC | Allows the court to temporarily restrain a party from transferring or selling disputed property. | The children sought interim relief to stop Priya Kapur from creating third-party rights. |
| Affidavit & Verification | Code of Civil Procedure / Evidence Act | Any list or claim must be verified under oath through an affidavit. | Court directed Priya Kapur to refile the list of assets with her signature and affidavit. |
Case Details
- Case Title: Ms. Samaira Kapur & Anr. vs. Mrs. Priya Kapur & Ors., CS(OS)-627/2025
- Court: Delhi High Court
- Bench / Judge: Justice Jyoti Singh
- Hearing Date: 9 October 2025
- Parties Involved
- Petitioners: Karisma Kapoor’s children — Samaira Kapur & Kiaan Raj Kapur
- Respondents: Priya Sachdev Kapur (stepmother), Shradha Suri Marwah (executor), Rani Kapur (grandmother)
- Main Allegation: Forgery of late Sunjay Kapur’s will (dated 21 March 2025) to gain control over assets worth over ₹2,000 crore
- Petitioners’ Side Argument: Priya Kapur allegedly forged the will with two witnesses, controlled 75% of the trust, limited children’s share to 26%, and made public claims endangering them.
- Respondent’s Defense: The will is genuine, created long before Sunjay Kapur’s death; the suit is not maintainable and the will was never formally challenged.
- Judge’s Observation: The list of assets filed in sealed cover lacked signatures; directed Priya Kapur to refile with an affidavit and signature.
- Next Hearing: Continued arguments scheduled for Monday (next hearing date following Oct 9, 2025).
- Legal Issue: Dispute over succession, forgery, and inheritance under Indian Penal Code and succession laws.
Counsels Appearing
- For Petitioners (Samaira Kapur & Kiaan Raj Kapur):
- Senior Advocate: Mahesh Jethmalani
- Assisting Advocates: Saurav Agrawal, Ravi Sharma, Akhil Sachar
- Law Firm: Lexster Law LLP
- Briefed by: Shantanu Agrawal (Partner), Manas Arora, Madhulika Rai Sharma, Syed Hamza, Ananya Garg, Prachi Dubey, Samayra Adhlakha, Tushar Nair, and Mehak Joshi
- For Respondents (Priya Sachdev Kapur & her minor son):
- Senior Advocates: Rajiv Nayar, Akhil Sibal
- Law Firm: Bahuguna Law Associates
- Briefed by: Meghna Mishra (Senior Partner), Ankit Rajgarhia (Partner Designate), Tarun Sharma (Principal Associate), Rohit Kumar (Associate)
- For Executor (Shradha Suri Marwah):
- Advocate: Anuradha Dutt
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