Priya Kapur sues Mandhira Kapur Smith for social media defamation in Patiala House Court
Priya Kapur drags sister-in-law Mandhira Kapur Smith to the Delhi court over vicious social media attacks and podcast smears questioning her marriage to late Sunjay Kapur. Patiala House Court orders Priya's appearance on Jan 21 amid explosive family inheritance war.
New Delhi: Priya Kapur, the widow of late billionaire Sunjay Kapur, drags her own sister-in-law, Mandhira Kapur Smith, to court over explosive social media attacks.
Allegations of lies, marriage smears, and reputation ruin fly as the multi-crore inheritance battle boils over. What did Mandhira say that crossed the line?
Court takes action
Priya Kapur filed a criminal defamation case against her sister-in-law, Mandhira Kapur Smith, in Delhi's Patiala House Court. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Siddhant Sihag heard the matter on Saturday, January 17, 2026, and directed Priya to appear on January 21 for pre-summoning evidence recording.
The case targets Mandhira's statements on social media and a podcast hosted by Pooja Chaudhari, who is also named as a party.
Background of feud
Priya, the wife of late industrialist Sunjay Kapur, battles Mandhira and other family members, including Sunjay's second wife Karisma Kapoor, over control of his massive assets. This defamation suit adds heat to the ongoing inheritance war, valued at thousands of crores. Tensions stem from Mandhira's public claims questioning Priya's will and marriage.
Defamatory claims details
Priya's complaint accuses Mandhira of uploading videos and posts on YouTube, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) that name Priya and make "false allegations and accusatory insinuations designed to cause hatred, ridicule and social ostracism". These attacks harm Priya's reputation among the public and business circles. In the InControversial podcast, Mandhira allegedly insinuated Priya's marriage to Sunjay was "troubled, manipulative and undeserving of legitimacy," attacking her dignity as a wife and widow.
Legal arguments
The complaint states such remarks "strike at the very foundation of the Complainant’s honour, womanhood and social standing, and are therefore per se defamatory within the meaning of Section 356 BNS". Senior Advocate Maninder Singh represented Priya, while the case was filed through Advocate Smriti Asmita. Priya seeks justice for what she calls deliberate reputation damage amid family property fights.
This legal clash highlights how social media rants can lead to courtroom battles in high-stakes family disputes. The January 21 hearing could summon Mandhira, escalating the drama.