Madras HC steps in as Boney Kapoor battles fresh ownership claims over Sridevi’s 1988 ECR property August 26, 2025 at 01:55PM

The Madras High Court has stepped into a fresh legal battle involving late Bollywood icon Sridevi’s property on Chennai’s East Coast Road (ECR), directing the Tambaram tahsildar to make a clear decision within four weeks. The case was brought forward by film producer Boney Kapoor, who has accused three individuals of fraudulently staking ownership over land his wife had purchased back in 1988.

Justice N. Anand Venkatesh, who presided over the matter, issued the directive after hearing Kapoor’s plea to cancel a legal heirship certificate obtained by the claimants in 2005. According to Kapoor, the document was wrongly issued in their favour and is now being used to assert rights over Sridevi’s farmhouse property.

The contested land has deep roots, tracing back to its original owner, M.C. Sambanda Mudaliar. His family had divided the property among three sons and two daughters through a mutual arrangement in 1960. Relying on this arrangement, Sridevi lawfully purchased the land on April 19, 1988, through a registered deed. Since then, the actor and her family had full possession and use of the property, which functioned as a farmhouse retreat.

Trouble surfaced years later when three individuals—claiming to be the second wife and children of one of Mudaliar’s sons—suddenly began asserting inheritance rights. To support their claims, they secured a legal heirship certificate from the Tambaram tahsildar in 2005.

Kapoor, however, has strongly contested the validity of their claims on multiple grounds. His petition argued that the tahsildar had no jurisdiction to issue such a certificate, since the original landowner was a resident of Mylapore. More importantly, he asserted that the so-called second marriage was not legally valid, making the trio ineligible as legal heirs under the Hindu Succession Act.

Presenting all necessary evidence to demonstrate that the purchase was genuine and duly registered, Kapoor urged the court to recognize the certificate as fraudulent. Justice Venkatesh, after considering both sides, instructed the Tambaram tahsildar to examine the matter thoroughly and deliver a conclusive decision within the stipulated four-week period.

As the battle unfolds, the dispute has drawn attention not only because of the legal complexities but also due to the emotional weight it carries—touching upon the legacy of one of Indian cinema’s most beloved stars, whose untimely passing in 2018 still resonates with millions of fans.

Also Read: Boney Kapoor shares heartfelt birthday tributes to late Sridevi; spark emotional wave among fans

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