Actor Rajpal Yadav to walk free on Mahashivratri? campaign launched to aid Tihar jail inmate
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Veteran actor Rajpal Yadav, who brought smiles to millions of faces with his brilliant comedy in films, is currently facing the most difficult phase of his life. After not getting relief from the Delhi High Court in the cheque bounce case of Rs 9 crore, the actor has finally had to surrender in Tihar Jail. Before surrendering, a very emotional statement of Rajpal Yadav came out, after hearing which many people from the film industry and the political world have come forward to help. Currently, the actor has a debt of Rs 9 crore, which his colleagues are coming together to repay.
Sonu Sood and Tej Pratap came forward to help
Many well-known personalities have come forward to provide financial assistance to Rajpal Yadav in this difficult time. Rao Inderjit Singh has announced legal aid of ₹1.11 crore on behalf of the Jem Tunes family. Meanwhile, Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD) chief Tej Pratap Yadav has announced that he will provide ₹11 lakh assistance to the actor. In addition, KRK has pledged ₹10 lakh. From the film industry, Sonu Sood and Gurmeet Choudhary have also extended a helping hand, although they have not yet officially disclosed the amount of assistance. A total of approximately ₹1.32 crore has been announced so far.
Hope for release by Mahashivratri
A deadline has also been set to get the actor out of jail. Rao Inderjit Singh posted a video on social media, informing that he had spoken to Rajpal Yadav's younger brother. He said that if the required amount is not deposited by February 14, he will personally deposit the remaining amount in the court so that Rajpal Yadav's release can be ensured by Mahashivratri. According to a PTI report, some payment has been made by October 2025, but a huge amount of Rs 9 crore still remains to be paid, forcing the actor to go behind bars.
This debt dispute is 16 years old
Rajpal Yadav's legal troubles began in 2010 when he borrowed ₹5 crore from Murli Projects Private Limited for his directorial venture, "Aata Pata Lapata." After the film's box office failure, repaying the loan became challenging, and several checks bounced. In 2018, he was first convicted and sentenced to six months in prison. Since then, the case has been ongoing in various courts. Recently, on February 4, 2026, the Delhi High Court refused to extend his surrender period, and on February 5, the court issued a stern remark, ordering the actor to be sent to jail, following which he was taken into custody.