Karisma Kapoor: The Supreme Court of India has taken a significant procedural step in a matter connected to a long-running family and estate dispute involving a prominent industrialist’s heirs. The court has issued a formal notice to Bollywood actress Karisma Kapoor following an application filed by Priya Kapur, who has sought access to certified records related to a divorce case finalized in 2016. The development has attracted attention due to its legal implications as well as the high-profile individuals involved.
On Friday, a single-judge bench of Justice A.S. Chandurkar of the Supreme Court of India issued notice to Karisma Kapoor. The notice was issued during an in-chamber proceeding in response to an application submitted by Priya Kapur. The court directed Karisma Kapoor to file her response within two weeks, specifically addressing the request for certified copies of documents related to her divorce.
The application seeks official court-certified records from the divorce proceedings between Karisma Kapoor and industrialist Sunjay Kapur, which were concluded in 2016.
Priya Kapur has requested access to a comprehensive set of documents connected to the divorce case. These include the original divorce petition, pleadings filed by both parties, orders passed by the apex court, and most importantly, the settlement agreement recorded at the time of divorce.
According to the application, these documents are necessary to establish clarity on financial arrangements, custody-related decisions, and other obligations that were mutually agreed upon when the marriage was legally dissolved. The emphasis of the request is on understanding the scope and finality of the settlement reached between the former spouses.
The request for divorce records is not an isolated legal move. It is closely tied to an ongoing estate dispute pending before the Delhi High Court. In that litigation, questions have arisen regarding the distribution of Sunjay Kapur’s personal estate and the entitlements of his legal heirs.
Priya Kapur has argued that without access to the full divorce settlement, it is difficult to fairly adjudicate the estate matter. She contends that several financial and custodial issues being raised in the estate proceedings may have already been conclusively addressed during Sunjay Kapur’s lifetime through the divorce settlement.
Counsel representing Priya Kapur submitted that disputes relating to children’s financial support, education expenses, and post-divorce responsibilities have repeatedly surfaced during the estate litigation. To properly assess these claims, it has been argued that the factual background of the divorce settlement must be placed on record in its entirety.
The application further states that transparency regarding the agreed terms is essential to determine whether the current claims are new in nature or merely attempts to revisit issues that were already resolved legally and contractually at the time of divorce.
The matter is part of a wider family conflict surrounding Sunjay Kapur’s estate. His children from his marriage with Karisma Kapoor have reportedly sought a share in the estate, raising allegations that a will favoring his widow, Priya Sachdev Kapur, was tampered with.
These allegations have intensified the legal scrutiny around past agreements and settlements, including the divorce arrangement, making court records a critical piece of evidence in resolving competing claims.
Sunjay Kapur and Karisma Kapoor were married in 2003 and formally divorced in 2016 after reaching a settlement that resolved both custody and financial matters. Several years later, Sunjay Kapur passed away at the age of 53 after suffering a heart attack while playing polo in the United Kingdom.
At the time of his death, he reportedly left behind assets valued at approximately Rs 30,000 crore. The substantial size of the estate has naturally contributed to the complexity and intensity of the legal disputes now unfolding across multiple courts.
The Supreme Court’s decision to issue notice does not determine the merits of the application but signals that the request raises questions worth judicial consideration. Karisma Kapoor’s response will be crucial in deciding whether the certified copies of divorce records can be released and used in related litigation.
The outcome may also set a precedent on access to sealed or sensitive family law records when such documents are deemed relevant to subsequent civil disputes involving inheritance and estate administration.
