The Delhi High Court has issued a major interim order in the sprawling inheritance battle over the nearly ₹30,000‑crore estate of late industrialist Sanjay Kapur, freezing his foreign bank accounts and overseas cryptocurrency holdings at the request of his children from his marriage to actress Karisma Kapoor. The move is being seen as a significant setback for his third wife, Priya Sachdeva Kapur, and aims to prevent the alleged dissipation or shifting of assets while the validity of a contested will and the broader estate‑distribution case are being adjudicated.
What the court has frozen
The High Court has directed that all foreign bank accounts and cryptocurrency‑related assets belonging to Sanjay Kapur remain non‑operational for the duration of the proceedings, effectively barring any withdrawals, transfers, or encumbrances on those overseas funds. The order also applies to key Indian business holdings linked to his estate, restricting Priya Kapur from selling, pledging, or restructuring equity or shareholdings in the companies without explicit court permission. The primary objective, as the bench has emphasised, is to preserve the estate and prevent depletion of assets that could later be required for fair distribution among all legal heirs.
The will‑fraud and family‑feud angle
The legal dispute centres on a contested will under which Sanjay Kapur’s third wife, Priya Sachdeva Kapur, is allegedly named as the sole beneficiary of his vast estate, excluding his children Kiaan and Samaira Raj Kapur from his previous marriage to Karisma Kapoor. The children, along with Sanjay’s mother Rani Kapur, have filed pleas alleging that the will is forged or improperly executed, and that assets—especially overseas deposits and crypto holdings—may have been moved or concealed. The court has noted that the heirs have made out a prima facie case to justify an interim injunction, while also putting the onus on Priya Kapur to dispel doubts about the will’s authenticity.
Interim relief for Karisma Kapoor’s children
The freezing of Sanjay Kapur’s foreign accounts provides important interim relief to his children, who have argued that their financial security and inheritance rights are at risk if the contested assets are allowed to remain freely accessible. The court has also placed limits on Priya Kapur’s ability to move funds from three Indian bank accounts, permitting withdrawals only for clearly defined obligations—such as child‑support commitments already recognised under the divorce decree between Sanjay and Karisma—while treating the rest of the estate as judicially frozen. This delicate balancing act aims to protect the children’s interests without completely paralysing all operational flows during the litigation period.
Broader family‑business and trust‑battle backdrop
Beyond the will‑fraud allegations, the case is embedded in a deeper family‑trust and business‑succession conflict. Sanjay’s mother, Rani Kapur, has challenged the validity of the Rani Kapur Family Trust, alleging trust‑fraud and manipulation by Priya Kapur, while Priya’s side argues that Sanjay’s stewardship turned a loss‑making family business into a successful, listed entity and that the trust and will structures reflect his legitimate succession choices. The High Court has repeatedly urged the Kapur family to explore mediation and internal compromise, warning that prolonged litigation risks eroding the very wealth at stake. Yet, the asset‑freezing order underscored that, in the absence of settlement, the court is prepared to step in decisively to protect the estate.
