New Delhi: In a significant legal battle involving one of India’s prominent industrial families, Rani Kapur, the octogenarian widow of late industrialist Dr Surinder Kapur and mother of the late Sunjay Kapur, has moved the Delhi High Court alleging that her daughter-in-law Priya Kapur fraudulently diverted the entire family estate and controlling stakes in key Sona Group companies.
The civil suit accuses Priya Kapur and other family members of orchestrating a calculated conspiracy to deprive Rani Kapur of her lifetime assets by creating and operating an allegedly illegal trust during a period when she was medically vulnerable.
Allegations Linked to 2017 Stroke and Dependence
According to the plaint filed before the High Court, Rani Kapur suffered a stroke in September 2017, following which she became physically and emotionally dependent on her son Sunjay Kapur and his wife Priya Kapur.
The suit claims that this dependence was exploited to exercise undue influence, leading to the alleged creation of the “RK Family Trust”, also referred to as the Rani Kapur Family Trust, through a trust deed dated October 26, 2017.
Rani Kapur contends that the trust was formed without her free, informed, or conscious consent and that it became the primary vehicle through which her estate was unlawfully diverted.
Challenge to RK Family Trust
Trust Termed Illegal and Void
In her plea, Rani Kapur has sought a declaration that the RK Family Trust is illegal, void, and fraudulent, alleging forgery of signatures and abuse of trust. She has also requested the court to dissolve the trust and restore all assets to their original position.
The suit argues that despite the trust bearing her name, she was neither a beneficiary nor in control of its assets.
Earlier Estate Planning and Probated Will
Rani Kapur has stated that her late husband, Dr Surinder Kapur, founder of the Sona Group, executed a Will in February 2013, leaving all his movable and immovable assets, including company shareholdings, exclusively to her.
The Will was probated in January 2016 without objection from any of their three children, including Sunjay Kapur.
As part of a transparent estate planning process, Rani Kapur claims she had already established two valid trusts in 2016 —
- Dr SK Family Trust
- MK Family Trust
In both trusts, she remained the settlor and principal beneficiary, retaining control over her assets.
Doubts Surface Years Later
Questions surrounding the RK Family Trust reportedly arose in 2019, when Rani Kapur began hearing references to it. She alleges that she was repeatedly misled into believing that the trust was merely another name for her previously created trusts.
The seriousness of the matter came to light only in 2023, during proceedings related to an intellectual property dispute involving Sona Group entities, when documents suggested that her rights had been transferred to her son through a separate trust structure.
Forgery Allegations and Forensic Findings
Rani Kapur has alleged that despite repeated requests, she was never given a copy of the trust deed during Sunjay Kapur’s lifetime. Following his sudden death in June 2025, she managed to obtain photocopies of the trust deed from third-party sources.
According to the suit, the two versions obtained in July and November 2025 showed material differences in signatures and official stamps.
A forensic examination cited in the plaint reportedly indicates that the initials attributed to Rani Kapur on the trust deed do not match her genuine signatures, strengthening allegations of forgery.
Alleged Exclusion From Benefits
The suit further claims that under the disputed trust structure:
- Sunjay Kapur was the sole lifetime beneficiary
- Post his death, benefits flowed largely to Priya Kapur and her children
Rani Kapur, along with her daughters and their families, was allegedly entirely excluded from the trust benefits.
Post-Death Actions Raise Concerns
Rani Kapur has also accused Priya Kapur of swiftly consolidating control over Sona Group companies immediately after Sunjay Kapur’s death.
According to the plaint, Priya Kapur secured key board-level and managerial positions within days, without informing or seeking consent from Rani Kapur, even during the mourning period.
The suit also alleges that Rani Kapur’s access to company information was deliberately blocked by falsely claiming her email account had been compromised and by creating a fake email ID in her name to approve trust-related actions.
Reliefs Sought From the Court
Through the civil suit, Rani Kapur has sought multiple remedies, including:
- Cancellation of the RK Family Trust deed
- Dissolution of the trust
- Restitution of all assets and shareholding
- Full rendition of accounts since 2017
- Cancellation of statutory filings under benami laws
- Permanent injunctions preventing the defendants from operating trust accounts or using her digital identity
A Fight to Restore Legacy
Terming the episode as one rooted in fraud, forgery, and abuse of trust, Rani Kapur has urged the Delhi High Court to restore her estate and family legacy.
She has argued that the actions complained of represent a systematic attempt to dispossess an elderly widow and super senior citizen of her lawful inheritance and lifetime assets.