Sunjay Kapur’s mother cries foul over death, says she was ‘made to’ sign docs

Industrialist Sunjay Kapur’s sudden and unusual death during a polo match has triggered a bitter dispute between his mother and wife, with a Rs 30,000-crore global business empire at its centre.

A month after his death, his mother, Rani Kapur, has raised concerns about the circumstances surrounding his unexpected death.

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Suspicious death?

In a statement, she reportedly suggested that the incident — initially described as a cardiac arrest — may have been inaccurately represented.

Rani Kapur also termed the death of her son in the UK as having occurred in "highly suspicious and unexplained circumstances".

She further alleged that shortly after Sunjay's death, she was compelled to sign certain documents while under emotional distress.

Forced signature

Rani Kapur had requested that the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Sona BLW Precision Forgings (Sona Comstar), scheduled for July 25, be cancelled.

In a letter addressed to the company’s board, she claimed she had been made to sign papers behind locked doors while in a fragile emotional state following her son’s demise.

“The contents of such documents have never been revealed to me,” she wrote in the letter.

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Silent amid chaos

According to Rani Kapur, a will dated June 30, 2015, designates her as the sole beneficiary of her late husband Surinder Kapur’s estate—making her the majority shareholder in the Sona Group, including its stake in the auto components firm.

In her letter dated July 24 to the board, she alleged that while the family was still mourning Sunjay’s sudden passing, “some people have chosen this as an opportune time to wrest control and usurp the family legacy”.

Although she did not name anyone, she particularly objected to “the passing of a resolution to appoint certain directors”— a statement widely interpreted as a reference to Sunjay’s wife, Priya Sachdev Kapur.

Priya, a former model and actress who has since become a corporate leader, has not yet made any public comment on this.

New non-executive director

Sona Comstar, the automotive components manufacturer, responded to the allegations by Rani Kapur, firmly rejecting any suggestion of coercion or misconduct following Sunjay Kapur’s death.

The company clarified that Priya Sachdev Kapur had been appointed as a Non-Executive Director following a nomination by Aureus Investments.

Her appointment was reviewed and approved by the board’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee.

Sona Comstar responds

In a formal statement released on Friday, Sona Comstar defended its decision to proceed with the July 25 AGM, stating it was bound by regulatory deadlines and had acted on expert legal advice.

The company noted that Mrs Kapur’s request to postpone the AGM was received only late on July 24 — just hours before the meeting — and maintained that there was “no legal ground” to defer it.

“Out of respect for Mrs Kapur, the Company sought urgent legal advice. However, as Mrs Kapur is not a shareholder in the Company, there was no basis to postpone the AGM,” the statement read.

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Company counters allegations

The company categorically denied seeking or obtaining any documents from her after Sunjay’s death. “To be clear, no documents have been signed or obtained from Mrs Rani Kapur by the Company,” it stated.

Sona Comstar explained that Sunjay Kapur was the sole beneficial owner of the RK Family Trust, which is a significant shareholder in Aureus Investments Pvt Ltd — the corporate promoter holding a 28.02 per cent stake in the company. The remaining 71.98 per cent is held by public shareholders.

It further clarified that, according to official records, Rani Kapur has not been a shareholder in the company since at least 2019.

Background

Sunjay Kapur, a businessman and the former husband of actor Karisma Kapoor, died at the age of 53 on June 12, after suffering a heart attack while playing a game of polo.

According to reports, Sunjay Kapur allegedly swallowed a bee and the sting in his throat caused a heart attack.

His funeral was held on June 19 at the Lodhi Road Cremation Ground in South Delhi, attended by close family and friends.

He was the chairman of Sona Comstar. According to Forbes, Sunjay Kapur had a net worth of $1.2 billion (Rs 10,000 crore) at the time of his death.