The remark came from a bench led by Justice J B Pardiwala while hearing a fresh application filed by Rani Kapur, mother of late industrialist Sunjay Kapur, in the long-running dispute over the RK Family Trust and associated assets.
“We have entered into an arena. Mahabharat will look very small. We will look into it,” the judge observed as arguments unfolded over alleged attempts to alter control of trust-linked entities.
The court has listed the matter for further hearing on May 14.
Fresh plea amid ongoing mediation efforts
The latest plea by Rani Kapur seeks to restrain Priya Sachdev Kapur and other respondents from interfering in the functioning of the RK Family Trust while court-directed mediation is underway.
She has also challenged a proposed board meeting scheduled for May 18, alleging that it could shift control of key entities tied to the disputed estate, including appointments of new directors in companies linked to the trust structure.
Counsel for Rani Kapur argued that such steps could materially alter the balance of control in the family-linked business holdings even as mediation proceeds.
Court-appointed mediation led by former CJI DY Chandrachud
Just days earlier, on May 7, the Supreme Court of India had referred the dispute to mediation and appointed former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud to facilitate negotiations between the parties.
The bench, which also included Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, had emphasised that the dispute should remain a private family matter rather than becoming a public spectacle.
“It is a family dispute. Let it be confined among the family only. It should not be a source of entertainment,” the court had noted.
The judges further urged all parties to approach mediation with an open mind, warning that failure to resolve the dispute could lead to prolonged litigation.
Core of the dispute: RK Family Trust and estate control
At the heart of the controversy is the RK Family Trust, which Rani Kapur alleges was created using forged or fraudulent documents without her knowledge.
She claims she is the sole beneficiary of the estate of her late husband, Surinder Kapur, founder of the Sona Group, and has accused family members of diverting assets into trust structures through illegal transactions.
According to her allegations, she was never informed of changes affecting her rights and was allegedly made to sign documents without full understanding of their implications.
₹30,000-crore inheritance battle involving multiple claimants
The dispute intensified after the death of industrialist Sunjay Kapur in June 2025 following a reported cardiac arrest during a polo match in England. Kapur had previously served as chairman of auto components major Sona Comstar.
Following his death, competing claims emerged over his estimated ₹30,000-crore estate.
His children, Samaira and Kiaan, represented through their mother and actor Karisma Kapoor, have challenged the validity of a will allegedly executed by Sunjay Kapur, questioning its sudden emergence after his death.
Meanwhile, Priya Sachdev Kapur and other respondents have maintained competing claims over trust assets and ownership structures.
Supreme Court urges restraint amid escalating tensions
Rani Kapur has also alleged a “systematic fraud” involving collusion in restructuring family assets and transferring holdings into trust-controlled entities.
In parallel, disputes have extended to beneficiary declarations, shareholdings in group companies, and governance rights in associated corporate entities.
Despite the widening legal battle, the Supreme Court has repeatedly stressed the importance of resolving the matter through mediation, noting that a failure to do so could result in “long drawn litigation”.
The court’s latest “Mahabharat” remark underscores the deepening complexity and emotional weight of the dispute, even as formal mediation proceedings have only just begun.
