The
Delhi High Court on Thursday ruled that filing the list of personal assets and
liabilities of late businessman Sunjay Kapur in a sealed cover may be
"problematic", as his two children with former wife and actor Karisma
Kapoor have the “right to question the assets disclosed.”
The
observation was made by Justice Jyoti Singh while hearing an application moved
by Kapur's third wife, Priya Kapur, who sought permission to file the list of
his assets and liabilities in a sealed cover with parties bound by
confidentiality, or through the constitution of a Confidentiality Club.
She
also asked the court to direct Kapur’s children from his former marriage to
actor Karisma Kapoor, along with his mother Rani Kapur, to sign a
non-disclosure agreement (NDA), citing concerns over “cybersecurity” and
related issues.
Questioning
Priya Kapur's counsel, the court said, "Allowing the application may be
problematic for the simple reason that as the alleged beneficiary of the
estate, they (Karisma's children, Samaira Kapur and Kiaan Raj Kapur) have a
right to question the assets disclosed. So, tomorrow, if they have to verify
and go about asking what has happened, if they are bound by this
confidentiality club, how will they ever defend their case?"
Seeking
confidentiality, her counsel claimed that it was a matter of security, adding,
"There are bank details, other financial details. Why should the public
have someone's bank account number?"
Further,
her counsel added that there are "press conferences" being held right
after the hearing.
Earlier,
on September 10, the High Court had instructed Priya to provide details of all
movable and immovable assets owned by her late husband as of June 12, the date
of his passing.
The
counsel appearing for Karisma Kapoor's children, Samaira and Kiaan, claimed in
the HC today that all the money has been wiped off from the bank account that
was disclosed in the purported will left by Kapur.
Earlier
on September 9, Karisma Kapoor's children moved the Delhi HC and sought a share
in their late father's ?30,000 crore assets. The siblings accused their
stepmother of forging his will and trying to gain complete control over his
assets.
The
siblings, who sought a one-fifth share of their father's assets, accused Priya
of wrongfully excluding them from Kapur's estate.
Sunjay
Kapur passed on June 12 in London after he suffered a heart attack while
playing a polo match.
The
matter has now been posted for hearing on Friday.