After Sona Comstar stated officially that Rani Kapur, mother of late Sunjay Kapur, has not had any direct or indirect involvement in the company since 2019, she said that her family’s legacy must not be lost. Rani Kapur said she needed closure on what happened to her son, the former Chairperson of Sona Comstar.
“I still don’t know what happened to my son. I’m old now. I need closure before I go,” Rani Kapur said to news agency ANI in an interview. Sunjay Kapur passed away on June 12 after swallowing a bee that resulted in a heart attack during a polo match.
She said she remembered the early days of Sona Comstar that had been built with care, sacrifice and love. “I am here to remind the world that our family’s legacy must not be lost. It must be passed on, as my husband always wanted it to be,” she said, referring to company founder Surinder Kapur.
“Given my health and my age, I will not be making any further comments. My legal team will address everything necessary,” said Rani Kapur.
WHAT SONA COMSTAR SAID
In a statement, the company added: “Mrs. Rani Kapur has had no role, direct or indirect, in Sona Comstar since at least 2019. She is neither a shareholder, director, nor officer of the Company. As such, she has no locus standi on any matter related to the Company. Any insinuation that she was coerced into signing documents or that her consent is required for Company affairs is completely baseless and legally untenable.”
This comes after Kapur, in a letter dated July 24, urged the board to delay the Annual General Meeting of the company in light of the period of ‘deep mourning’. However, the AGM was conducted as planned.
Kapur had said that made to sign various documents without giving her time to read and understand the same. She said that if the board ignores her request, she would assume it to be a conscious decision taken to the “detriment of the company and the family.”
The company also said, “The re-appointment of Mr. Jeffrey Mark Overly for second term as Independent director and appointment of Ms. Priya Sachdev Kapur as Non Executive director to the Board were fully compliant with all applicable laws and corporate governance norms. Importantly, both appointments would have passed even without any votes from the promoter entity. Their appointments were ratified by an overwhelming majority of shareholders – 98.9 per cent and 99.4 per cent respectively – clearly reflecting broad investor confidence.”
This was in reference to Kapur’s questions on the recent developments within the company’s leadership structure. “I’ve been informed that certain people are representing themselves as being the largest shareholders of the Company since they claim to represent the interest of the family in the Company. I am fully convinced that the documents which were executed by me under coercion and duress, post the demise of my son, at a time of mental and emotional vulnerability are being misused,” she said, adding that she has not given any consent or officially nominated any person to come on the board.
Sona Comstar has sent Rani Kapur a cease-and-desist notice to restrain her from spreading unlawful and derogatory information. The company has also asked her to withdraw her July 24 letter to the shareholders to the company’s board and shareholders.
