UK coroner confirms Sunjay Kapur died ‘natural death’, police say death ‘non-suspicious’

TOI correspondent from London: Industrialist Sunjay Kapur died of natural causes, the Surrey coroner has determined. Speculation had been triggered by his mother, Rani Kapur, that there was foul play involved or that he was murdered.Kapur, a US citizen who was chairman of Sona Comstar, passed away due to left ventricular hypertrophy and ischemic heart disease, as per the coroner’s report shared by the office of his wife, Priya Sachdev Kapur, on Tuesday.The Surrey coroner’s office confirmed to TOI: “The death was reported to the coroner. The coroner’s investigation has been closed with a natural cause of death.” It is understood a post-mortem was carried out, but no inquest was held.Surrey police said his death was being treated as “non-suspicious”.His death has intensified a bitter family dispute about inheritance and who controls the family’s flagship company, Sona Comstar.On Monday his mother Rani Kapur revealed that she had written to Surrey police demanding an investigation into his death, alleging foul play. “His death may have been facilitated or orchestrated as part of a transnational conspiracy, with the involvement of individuals and entities in the UK, India and maybe the US,” Rani Kapur wrote.She said she had “credible and concerning evidence that suggests her son’s death may not have been accidental or natural, but may have involved foul play, including possibility of murder, abetment, conspiracy, fraud, and forgery.”Sunjay Kapur, owner of the Aureus polo team, was playing a polo match in Smith’s lawn at the Guards Polo Club in Windsor on June 12 when he died after becoming unwell. The club has links to the British royal family.A Surrey police spokesperson said they were aware of Rani Kapur’s letter. “Police were called to The Guards Polo Club just after 5pm on June 12 following the death of a man in his 50s at the location. Colleagues from South East Coast Ambulance also attended and confirmed that the man had sadly died at the scene. His death is being treated as non-suspicious,” the spokesperson said.A US embassy spokesperson in London told TOI: “When a US citizen dies abroad, the department provides consular assistance to the legal representative, next-of-kin, and family. Depending on the situation, this can include preparation of a consular report of the death of a US citizen abroad. Local authorities are responsible for determining the cause of death.”