"My mother doesn't even have a roof over her head": Sunjay Kapur's sister weighs in on dispute over her brother's property

New Delhi [India], September 10 (ANI): Reacting to Bollywood actor Karisma Kapoor's children's plea in Delhi High Court seeking a share in their late father Sunjay Kapur's Rs 30,000 crore estate, the businessman's sister Mandhira Kapur Smith said that the wealth was supposed to be distributed equally among the families, but "one person [Sunjay Kapur's widow Priya Sachdeva Kapur] has come in and taken everything."

She said that her mother "doesn't even have a roof over her head."

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed Priya Sachdeva Kapur to file a comprehensive list of all movable and immovable assets of her deceased husband, along with her reply.

Summons have been issued, with written statements to be filed in two weeks and replications in one week thereafter. Replies to the interim relief plea must also be filed in two weeks, with rejoinders in a week. The matter will be taken up next on October 9 for consideration of an ad-interim injunction.

"We're not asking for what is not our right. My dad created all this. My dad created it for my mother. My brother grew it, like all Indian families do. And then it was supposed to be distributed equally among the families. So again, one person has come in and taken everything, and my mother doesn't even have a roof over her head," Smith told ANI.

"My mother did not help set up the trust. She is still trying to find out about the trust. We're still asking for answers, and we're getting nothing," she said.

On the possibility of patching up within the family, she said, "I don't know. Right now, there are a lot of answers that are needed. Earlier on, it was just mom. Now it's the kids involved. It's all of us. Now everyone wants answers. I think unless we don't have answers and we don't have a sit-down and be able to ask the questions and get clarity on answers and no hiding stuff and covering up stuff, and unless it's an open field, I don't think we're going to be able to do anything."

Smith welcomed the Delhi HC direction to disclose her brother's assets, and said that she stood by Karisma Kapoor's two children.

"I'm very happy about it because finally the family will know something and have some knowledge about anything, really. I believe in the justice system in India, so I'm hoping it will bring more clarity, more visibility and transparency to everything," Smith told ANI.

When asked about the plea by Karisma Kapoor's children, she said, "I stand by them because I do not think that if anyone knows the relationship they have had with their father and for their father not to have them a part of the will is just doesn't add up. Doesn't make sense. So I stand by them."

The children, represented through their mother Karisma Kapoor, have alleged that Priya Kapur forged Sunjay Kapur's will to claim exclusive control of his assets. Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, for the children, argued that the will is unregistered, was never disclosed earlier, and was read "in haste" at Taj Hotel.

He further pointed to suspicious circumstances, noting that the executor admitted learning of the will only a day before and that its disclosure came from a family employee.
Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayar, representing Priya Kapur, countered that the suit is not maintainable. He stressed that the plaintiffs are already trust beneficiaries and had given Rs 1,900 crore just days before filing the case. (ANI)