Rajpal Yadav to surrender by Feb 4: HC upholds jail term in cheque bounce case

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Delhi High Court has taken a tough stand against Bollywood actor Rajpal Yadav in a check bounce case. The court ordered him to surrender before the relevant jail superintendent by February 4th. Calling the actor's behavior reprehensible, the court said that failing to pay despite repeated assurances was a violation of the judicial process.

The case involves a Delhi-based company, M/s Murli Projects Private Limited, which had lent money to Rajpal Yadav's company for film production. The court noted in its order that breaching assurances given to the court regarding payment in cases such as cheque bouncing is a serious matter.

Justice Swaran Kanta Sharma said during the hearing that Rajpal Yadav was given many opportunities, but every time he broke the trust of the court.

The entire matter dates back to 2010, when Rajpal Yadav took a loan of approximately ₹5 crore from M/s Murali Projects Private Limited to make his directorial debut, "Aata Pata Lapata." The film was not a financial success. Subsequently, the loan repayment was repeatedly delayed.

The complainant company alleged that several cheques issued to repay the amount bounced, following which a case was filed against Rajpal Yadav and the company associated with him under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act.

During the hearing of the case, the Karkardooma Court issued several notices to Rajpal Yadav, but he failed to appear in court for a long time, leading to his being sent to judicial custody for 10 days in 2013. He spent four days in jail, from December 3 to 6, 2013. A division bench of the Delhi High Court later suspended his sentence on appeal.

Subsequently, the lower court sentenced Rajpal Yadav and his wife to six months' simple imprisonment, which they challenged in the High Court. In June 2024, the Delhi High Court temporarily stayed the sentence, stating that the actor was not a habitual offender and that there was scope for reform and resolution in his case. Based on this, the court advised both parties to explore the possibility of amicable settlement and referred the case to a mediation center.

During the mediation, Rajpal Yadav assured the court that he would pay the complainant company a total of ₹2.5 crore (25 million rupees). This included a first installment of ₹40 lakh and a second installment of ₹2.10 crore (21 million rupees). However, according to the court, not a single installment was deposited despite the deadline having passed.

The actor argued that the draft had been a typo, but the court rejected this argument outright. The court noted that despite being aware of the error, neither the amount was deposited nor any formal explanation was given.

In January 2026, the court granted Rajpal Yadav a final opportunity, but the payment remained unpaid. Taking a firm stance, Justice Swaran Kanta Sharma stated that repeated breaches of promises in check bounce cases are extremely serious. The court noted that the actor was given numerous opportunities, but each time he betrayed the court's trust.

The court granted Rajpal Yadav until 4 pm on February 4th to surrender. This relief was granted at the request of his lawyer, who stated that the actor was busy with professional work in Mumbai. The court also ordered the release of the previously deposited amount to the complainant company. The next hearing in the case will be held on February 5th, where a compliance report will be sought from the jail superintendent.