New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed a status quo over the 4.7-acre property near Chennai’s East Coast Road (ECR) associated with the late actor Sridevi and issued notice to her husband Boney Kapoor and daughters Janhvi and Khushi Kapoor on a petition seeking revival of a civil suit. The bench of Justices K V Viswanathan and Arun Pillai also asked the parties to explore mediation and fixed the matter for a further hearing on December 18.
Petitioners claim ancestral right to ECR land
The plea in the apex court was filed by M C Sivakami and her brother M C Natarajan, who, together with their mother Chandrabhanu, challenged a Madras High Court order that had dismissed their suit. The petitioners contend that the disputed land belonged to their paternal grandfather and have sought a declaration that four sale deeds through which Sridevi and her sister acquired the property are null and void, alleging the transactions were fraudulent.
The Supreme Court sought a formal response from the Kapoor family and placed a freeze on any transfer, construction or change of possession till the next date of hearing, according to court orders made available in open court.
Mediation ordered; retired judge to be appointed
The bench suggested that the parties attempt to resolve the matter amicably and said it would appoint a retired judge of the Madras High Court to act as a mediator. The court directed the parties to appear before the mediator and to give the mediation process a fair opportunity. It listed the matter for December 18 to consider the progress of mediation.
“The court observed that it would appoint a retired judge of the high court as mediator and asked the parties to appear before the mediator and explore a settlement,” the order recorded.
The direction for mediation followed submissions that the dispute involved contested factual questions, and the trial court had earlier declined an application by the Kapoors under Order 7 Rule 11 of the Civil Procedure Code seeking rejection of the plaint at the preliminary stage. The trial judge had held that issues raised were disputed questions of fact requiring full trial.
Thereafter, Boney Kapoor and his daughters took the matter to the Madras High Court, which dismissed the suit as being vexatious and an abuse of the process of court, according to court records placed before the Supreme Court.
- Petitioners: M C Sivakami, M C Natarajan and Chandrabhanu.
- Respondents: Boney Kapoor; daughters Janhvi and Khushi Kapoor.
- Property: Approximately 4.7 acres near Chennai’s East Coast Road.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Next hearing | December 18 |
| Interim order | Status quo; no transfer, construction or change of possession |
| Mediation | Retired Madras HC judge to be appointed as mediator |
Legal filings placed before the Supreme Court indicate that Kapoor family counsel had argued the petitioners had previously raised claims on the property, including an earlier suit that courts had already rejected. The Madras High Court characterised the renewed claim as vexatious. The petitioners dispute that characterisation and have asked the apex court to revive their suit and examine the validity of the four sale deeds.
Property disputes in and around Chennai, particularly on prime corridors such as the ECR, often involve layers of historical titles, succession claims and multiple competing suits. Observers note that orders restraining transfer and construction are typically intended to preserve the status quo so that an eventual adjudication on title is not rendered ineffectual.
The Supreme Court’s direction for mediation signals the court’s preference for negotiated settlement in family and property disputes where possible. The appointment of a retired high court judge to facilitate talks underscores the court’s expectation that the parties engage in good faith to explore resolution before long-drawn litigation proceeds further.
The case will return to the Supreme Court roster for further consideration on December 18, when the court will take stock of mediation efforts and any responses filed by the Kapoor family.
