Sunjay Kapur and Karisma Kapoor finalised their divorce in 2016.
The battle over late businessman Sunjay Kapur’s ₹30,000 crore estate has taken yet another twist. Earlier, it was disclosed that Sunjay had been helping Karisma Kapoor and their children ditch their Indian passport and obtain Portuguese citizenship. However, fresh claims now suggest that Karisma ultimately turned down the offer.
Karisma declined Portuguese citizenship offer
According to documents that have been submitted in the Court amid the estate feud, Sunjay was helping Karisma and their kids: Samaira and Kiaan, in the process of securing Portuguese citizenship.
It was revealed that Sunjay was in touch with Karisma through WhatsApp. In one of the chats cited in the suit, Sunjay told Karisma that she would have to give up her Indian citizenship to obtain a Portuguese passport, with the message reading, “India does not permit dual citizenship”.
However, Karisma’s lawyer, Mahesh Jethmalani, narrated a different story during his appearance on Republic World. He shared that Karisma declined the idea of giving up Indian citizenship, asserting that Sunjay’s move of trying for Portuguese citizenship casts suspicion on the will.
“That’s one of the suspicious circumstances because there is clear evidence that at the end of May this year, which is supposed to be two months after the will was actually executed, he was trying to get a Portuguese citizenship, certainly for his children, and possibly for Karisma Kapoor. She was told that she would have to give up Indian citizenship if she took up Portuguese citizenship, and she refused,” the lawyer shared.
He added, “But certainly, he was toying with the idea of Portuguese citizenship for his two children for the reason that properties overseas would be exempted from inheritance tax and all 3 of his kids – one from Mrs Priya Kapur and two from Karisma Kapoor – all three of them would be saved from inheritance tax because Portugal doesn’t have an inheritance tax regime. So, if in May 2025, you are trying to create citizenship for your children to avoid inheritance tax on overseas property, it is a little surprising that you had already executed a will in March 2025, in which all the overseas properties are devolved to Mrs Priya Sachdev and none to the children, so that’s a suspicious circumstance.”
All about the inheritance feud
The dispute over Sunjay’s estate has escalated, with his children from Karisma alleging that Priya forged his will to cut them out of the inheritance. On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court heard the plea filed by Samaira and Kiaan, who are seeking their share in their late father’s property.
In their plea, Karisma’s kids claimed that their late father had ‘repeatedly assured’ them of their share, which was eventually absent in his final will. They have accused their stepmother, Sunjay’s third wife, Priya Sachdev Kapur, of altering the will. The suit was filed after Priya, at a July 30 family meeting, presented a will allegedly executed on March 21. Karisma is not a plaintiff in the case, but is representing her children.
During the hearing, both sides levelled multiple allegations and counterclaims in the ongoing dispute. The matter was heard by a bench headed by Justice Jyoti Singh. The court has now asked Priya to file a list of all Sunjay Kapur’s movable and immovable assets. The matter is now scheduled for a hearing on October 9.
About Sunjay’s personal life
Sunjay was married thrice and had three children. His first marriage was to fashion designer Nandita Mahtani in 1996 and lasted four years. He then married actor Karisma Kapoor in 2003. The couple had two kids – Samaira (19) and Kiaan (13). In 2014, Karisma and Sanjay filed for divorce through mutual consent. Their divorce was finalised in 2016. After the separation, Sunjay married Priya Sachdev in 2017. The couple have one son – Azarias. At the time of his death, he was married to Priya. Sunjay Kapur was the founder and chairman of Sona Comstar, one of the leading auto parts manufacturers in the world, passed away in June in London.