Heir, Power, And Accusations: Inside Sona Comstar’s Boardroom Drama After Sunjay Kapur’s Death | Business News
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Sona Comstar faces drama after chairman Sunjay Kapur’s death. His mother, Rani Kapur, claims majority ownership via her late husband’s will, opposed by the company.
In recognition of his contributions, the board of Sona Comstar unanimously named Late Sunjay Kapur as Chairman Emeritus.
Sona Comstar Legal Dispute: The boardroom drama at Sona Comstar, a leading Indian auto components manufacturer, erupted a few days after the sudden demise of its chairman, Sunjay Kapur. The control of a Rs 30,000 crore legacy has become entangled in a family feud, resulting in allegations, letters, and claims.
Late Sunjay Kapur’s mother has claimed that she is the majority shareholder of the Sona Group via her late husband’s will, though the company has denied the claims.
Let’s understand the whole case with the timeline:
Sudden Demise of Sunjay Kapur
Sona Comstar’s chairman, Sunjay Kapur, passed away at the age of 53 on June 12, 2025, from a heart attack while playing a polo match in London, England.
The 30,000 crore legacy has been left in limbo with no will and heir.
To fill the leadership vacuum, Sona Comstar’s board appointed Jeffrey Mark as the new chairman, which was later criticized by some stakeholders as rushed.
Rani Kapur’s Allegations And Claims
Sunjay Kapur’s mother, Rani Kapur, alleged a few days later that the family members (unnamed) were trying to usurp the control of the Sona Group, while she had a majority stake via her late husband’s will.
She had sent an email demanding that Sona Comstar postpone its upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM), citing concerns over how company affairs were being managed.
She alleged she was pressured into signing documents without fully understanding their contents and was not given adequate time to review them. Kapur also said that “well-wishers” had informed her of “gross illegalities” within the company’s operations. Furthermore, she claimed to be the sole beneficiary of her late husband Surinder Kapur’s estate — a man widely credited with pioneering India’s auto components industry — which, she said, includes a majority stake in the Sona Group.
Priya Sachdev Kapur’s Appointment
Despite her request, the AGM of the group happened on July 25, in which Sunjay Kapur’s wife Priya Sachdev Kapur was appointed as a non-executive director with 99.44 per cent votes. Priya’s appointment, nominated by Aureus Investments, is vetted by the board’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. Rani opposes this, calling it unauthorized and part of a move to “wrest control” of the family legacy.
Sona Comstar’s Statement Post Allegations
In its response, Sona Comstar’s parent company, Sona BLW Precision Forgings Ltd., rejected her claims, stating that Rani Kapur has not been a shareholder since 2019 and, therefore, has no standing to interfere in company matters. The company emphasized that there was no requirement to defer the AGM.
Citing a declaration filed in May 2019, the company said Sanjay Kapur had been identified as the “sole beneficial owner” of the shares, and that Priya Sachdev Kapur was subsequently nominated to the board based on this ownership.
Sona BLW reiterated that the company is not a family-run business. In a statement issued Monday, it noted that 72% of its shares are held by institutional and public investors, while the promoter entity owns the remaining 28% — without any special rights or control.
Company Issue Cease-and-desist letter
Sona Comstar, part of the Rs 30,000 crore Sona Group, issued a cease-and-desist letter to Rani Kapur — the mother of the late Chairman Sanjay Kapur, who passed away in London in June.
In the legal notice, Sona Comstar accused Rani Kapur of defaming the company and causing reputational damage. This comes days after she claimed to be the majority shareholder and alleged she had been “coerced” into signing documents supporting her daughter-in-law Priya Sachdev Kapur’s appointment as a non-executive director on the company’s board.
Varun Yadav is a Sub Editor at News18 Business Digital. He writes articles on markets, personal finance, technology, and more. He completed his post-graduation diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Inst…Read More
Varun Yadav is a Sub Editor at News18 Business Digital. He writes articles on markets, personal finance, technology, and more. He completed his post-graduation diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Inst… Read More
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