Sona Comstar sends legal notice to Rani Kapur: What the dispute is about

Sona BLW Precision Forgings Ltd (Sona Comstar) has issued a cease-and-desist notice to Rani Kapur, the mother of its late chairman Sunjay Kapur, over what it calls “false and damaging” claims.

According to reports, the company has demanded that she withdraw a letter dated July 24, which she addressed to the company’s board, shareholders, and stakeholders. The letter allegedly raised concerns about mismanagement and questioned decisions made after her son’s sudden death in June.

What is the dispute?

Sona Comstar’s legal notice — shared with SEBI, India’s markets regulator — warns of legal action if Rani Kapur does not retract her letter within three days. The company has denied all allegations, calling them “malicious and unverified.”

Rani Kapur, who is not a shareholder or board member, had requested a postponement of the company’s annual general meeting (AGM). She claimed she was made to sign documents while still grieving her son. However, the AGM was held as scheduled, and Priya Sachdev, Sunjay Kapur’s wife, was appointed as a non-executive director.

What is a cease-and-desist order?

A cease-and-desist order is a legal warning or directive telling someone to immediately stop a specific activity, often because it’s considered harmful or unlawful. In this case, Sona Comstar wants Rani Kapur to stop making public allegations.

“It’s a type of injunction that stops ongoing actions believed to cause harm,” said Alay Razvi, a legal expert quoted in reports.

What Rani Kapur says

Sources close to Rani Kapur say she received the legal notice via DSK Legal and may respond after speaking to her lawyers. They added she could approach the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in Chandigarh for relief, especially since her bank accounts are reportedly frozen.

In a recent interview, Rani said she still doesn’t know the full truth about her son’s death and wants “closure before I go.”

What the company says

Sona Comstar said Rani Kapur holds no official role and has not been part of the company since 2019. It emphasized that:

• 71.98% of shares are held by public investors
• The promoter group owns 28.02% via Aureus Investments Pvt Ltd
• The current board includes independent professionals not tied to the Kapur family
• The company is not “family-run” and operates under professional management

The company accused Rani’s public letter of trying to undermine confidence before the AGM and issued a formal public statement calling her actions “regrettable.”

Meanwhile, shares of Sona Comstar have dropped by over 5% since the controversy began.