The saas vs bahu Kapur family saga - a Bollywood blockbuster-like battle for control of the Rs 30,000 crore Sona Group - shifted to the United Kingdom this week after Rani Kapur, the late Chairman Sunjay Kapur's mother, hinted darkly at a "transnational conspiracy" leading to the "murder" of her son.
In a dramatic letter that NDTV has seen, Rani Kapur claimed she has "credible and concerning evidence... that suggests his (i.e., Mr Kapur's) death may not have been accidental or natural, but may have involved foul play, including possibility of murder, abetment, conspiracy, fraud, and forgery".
She also claimed she has records that "point to forgery, dubious asset transfers and suspicious legal filings, (and) indications of collusion between individuals who stood to gain financially" from his death.
The reference was to Priya Sachdev Kapur, Mr Kapur's third wife.
"There are compelling reasons to believe his death may have been facilitated or orchestrated as part of a coordinated transnational conspiracy, with the involvement of individuals and entities in the United Kingdom, India and maybe the United States," Ms Kapur told British authorities in her letter.
"Given the gravity of the matter and possible multiple offences under UK law, including murder, conspiracy to commit a crime, fraud by false representation, forgery... I respectfully request for immediate registration of a formal complaint and initiation of a criminal investigation".
The Kapur family: Rani Kapur (in yellow) with son Sunjay, his wife Priya, and their children.
Ms Kapur's letter is the latest twist in an increasingly public family affair that kickstarted with her e-mail to the board of Sona Comstar demanding it postpone an annual general meeting.
Identifying herself as the majority shareholder of the Sona Group, which includes Sona Comstar and Sona BLW, she said she had been "compelled to sign documents" while grieving for her son.
READ | Family Drama, Power Play After Businessman Sunjay Kapur's Death
She questioned the decision to appoint "certain people (i.e., Priya Sachdev Kapur)", and said their claim to speak for the family was based on "documents executed by me under coercion".
She said she had information that highlighted "gross illegalities" in company affairs.
'Rani Kapur Not A Shareholder'
Hours later the company responded.
In a market filing Sona BLW Precision Forgings Ltd, said Ms Kapur is not a shareholder, majority or otherwise, and had not been one since 2019. The company said in May 2019 a "declaration of significant beneficial ownership" named Sunjay Kapur as the "sole beneficial owner..."
READ | Sunjay Kapur's Mum Not A Shareholder, Says Company Amid Family Feud
And on her claim about being "forced to sign documents behind locked doors", the board said no documents had been signed or obtained from her since Sunjay Kapur's death.
READ | Kapur Family Drama: Sona Comstar's 'Cease, Desist' Letter To Mother Rani
The third chapter in this drama played out last week. Sona Comstar sent Ms Kapur a cease-and-desist letter, saying her words and allegations had defamed the company.
The late Sunjay Kapur and his wife, Priya Sachdev Kapur (File).
Ms Sachdev Kapur has not, so far, publicly commented on this matter.
Sunjay Kapur Death
Mr Kapur, 53, died playing polo in London on June 12. The cause of death was listed as a cardiac arrest but there were reports he suffered an anaphylactic shock after a bee flew into his mouth.
Last month Rani Kapur spoke publicly for the first time after his death. She told news agency ANI: "I still don't know what happened to my son... I'm old now. I need closure before I go..."
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