Grief, boardroom and the game of succession: Inside family feud tearing through Sona Comstar after Sunjay Kapur’s death
In a high-stakes corporate drama riddled with grief, suspicion, and boardroom intrigue, Sona Comstar held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on July 25 – brushing aside an emotional plea from Rani Kapur, mother of Sunjay Kapur, to delay the proceedings. What unfolded wasn’t just a shareholder meeting, but a glimpse into a brewing succession war cloaked in mourning.The clash, steeped in a “saas-bahu” powerplay, erupted barely weeks after the sudden death of Sunjay Kapur, the company’s former chairman, in London under what Rani Kapur described as “highly suspicious and unexplained circumstances.”
Grieving mother vs company
Rani Kapur, widow of Sona Group founder Surinder Kapur and a self-proclaimed major shareholder, asked the board to postpone the AGM by two weeks. Her reason? The family was still reeling from Sunjay’s death and critical decisions about control and legacy were being rushed through behind her back.In her letter to the board and shareholders, Rani called the AGM “insensitive,” accusing unnamed individuals of exploiting the family’s tragedy to “wrest control” of the company and install their preferred nominees.Among her most strident objections: the proposed appointment of Sunjay’s wife, Priya Sachdev Kapur, as a non-executive director, a move she said she never authorized, alleging coercion, misrepresentation, and exclusion from the decision-making process.“I was emotionally shattered, and I was coerced into signing documents I was never shown,” she wrote, alleging she was kept in the dark about key company decisions.
Company strikes back: ‘She’s not even a shareholder’
Sona Comstar didn’t blink. In a sharply worded response, the company said the AGM was conducted in “full legal and regulatory compliance.” It dismissed Rani Kapur’s objections, stating that she hadn’t been a shareholder “since at least 2019.”According to the company’s filings, it was Sunjay Kapur, not Rani, who was declared the sole beneficial owner of the RK Family Trust, which holds stake via the promoter firm Aureus Investments Pvt Ltd (AIPL).Rani Kapur’s claim of being the majority shareholder by virtue of her late husband’s will was flatly rejected.“For clarity, the company confirms that no documents have been signed or obtained from Rani Kapur following Sunjay Kapur’s death,” Sona Comstar said, dismissing allegations of coercion.
The power grab and Priya’s rise
At the heart of the feud is the rise of Priya Sachdev Kapur, the glamorous third wife of Sunjay and a former model-businesswoman, who has now been formally inducted into the board. Despite being recently widowed, Priya has swiftly moved to claim her space in the boardroom — a decision that was greenlit by shareholders and the company’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee.The company insisted she had submitted all necessary statutory documents and was not disqualified under any law.Meanwhile, the board also appointed Jeffrey Mark Overly as the new chairman, just days after Sunjay’s death, a move that further fueled speculation of a hasty transition orchestrated with surgical precision.
Sunjay Kapur’s death in Windsor
The 53-year-old industrialist and polo patron died suddenly on June 12 in Windsor, England, after collapsing mid-match at the prestigious Guards Polo Club. He reportedly swallowed a bee during the polo match that triggered a fatal heart attack. .Sona Comstar, the Gurugram-based auto components giant he chaired, confirmed the death in a formal statement, while the polo club noted he “became unwell” during play at its elite Smith’s Lawn grounds — a venue long associated with Britain’s royal family.Kapur, who owned and captained the Aureus polo team, had travelled to England for a summer season of matches.The son of industrialist Surinder Kapur, Sunjay took charge of Sona Comstar in 2015, steering it toward global expansion, particularly in EV systems and components. Under his leadership, the company grew to operate across India, China, Mexico, and the US, employing over 4,600 people.On the day of his death, he had posted a tribute on social media mourning victims of the Air India crash in Ahmedabad, a poignant final message from a man whose own passing would soon rock his company and family.Sunjay’s personal life had long made headlines. In 2003, he married actress Karisma Kapoor. They had two children, Samaira and Kiaan, before a highly publicised divorce in 2016. He had earlier been briefly married to fashion designer Nandita Mahtani.In 2017, Sunjay married Priya Sachdev, a former model and entrepreneur. She survives him along with their young son, Azarias, and his two older children.
The power struggle
Sunjay Kapur left behind a grieving but deeply divided family — and a company now at the center of a bitter inheritance battle.“Certain people are now misrepresenting themselves as family nominees and the largest shareholders without my consent,” Rani alleged in her letter, which was also marked to Sebi, escalating the fight beyond boardroom walls.
Legacy, loyalty, and legal war ahead?
Rani Kapur’s legal counsel has hinted that further action could be on the horizon if her pleas continue to be ignored. In her words: “If you choose to move forward without conferring with me, I will assume this is a conscious betrayal of the family legacy.”What was meant to be a procedural corporate event has now turned into a public spectacle — one part grief, one part power struggle, and all parts Shakespearean. And as the dust settles from the AGM, one thing is clear: this family feud is far from over.
