Priya Kapur, the wife of late industrialist Sunjay Kapur, has filed a criminal defamation case in Delhi's Patiala House Court against her sister-in-law Mandhira Kapur Smith.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Siddhant Sihag of the Patiala House Courts heard the matter on Saturday and asked Priya Kapur to appear before the Court on January 21 for the recording of pre-summoning evidence.

Priya Kapur is engaged in a legal battle against Mandhira Kapur and other members of Sunjay Kapur's family, including his second wife, actor Karisma Kapoor, over the control of Sunjay's assets.

The criminal defamation case has been filed over statements made by Mandhira Kapur on social media platforms and in a podcast called InControversial. Pooja Chaudhari, the host of the show, has also been made a party to the case.

In her complaint, Priya Kapur has argued that Mandhira Kapur repeatedly uploaded and circulated videos and posts on YouTube, Instagram, X (Twitter) and other platforms, which identify Priya Kapur by name and made "false allegations and accusatory insinuations designed to cause hatred, ridicule and social ostracism; thereby demolishing the reputation of the complainant in the eyes of the general public and in business circles".

Further, the complaint states that in the podcast, Mandhira made repeated insinuations that Priya's marriage with Sunjay was troubled, manipulative and undeserving of legitimacy.

The plea adds that such remarks directly attack the sanctity of her [Priya's] marital relationship and lower her dignity as a wife and now a widow in the eyes of society.

"Such imputations 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," the plea has said.

Senior Advocate Maninder Singh appeared for Priya Kapur. The defamation case was filed through advocate Smriti Asmita.