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Delhi HC does not grant relief to Rajpal Yadav, Bollywood actor to stay in Tihar Jail; everything to know
Actor Rajpal Yadav’s plea for suspension of his sentence in the decade-old cheque-bounce case was denied by the Delhi High Court. Here's everything to know
Actor Rajpal Yadav, who is currently serving a six-month jail term in a decade-old cheque-bounce case, was denied immediate relief from his imprisonment by the Delhi High Court today. The court observed that the actor had repeatedly failed to honour his financial commitments despite earlier assurances.
A single-judge bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma noted that Rajpal had acknowledged his debt to the complainant company and assured repayment, but did not follow through. His counsel had sought a suspension of his sentence, citing a family wedding as grounds for temporary relief.
“25 to 30 times you appeared in this Court, and you were assisted by a senior counsel. Your senior counsel made the statements on your behalf. Mr Yadav appeared through VC before me at least five times and said I will honour the statement made by my counsel, and if I go abroad, I will earn some money and make the payment. You are not misguided,” the Court remarked. The matter will now be heard on Monday.
What the case is about
The case traces back to 2010, when Yadav borrowed ₹5 crore from Delhi-based Murali Projects Pvt Ltd to fund his directorial debut, Ata Pata Laapata (2012). The film’s commercial failure led to heavy losses and a financial dispute.
In 2018, a magisterial court convicted Yadav for cheque dishonour under the Negotiable Instruments Act, sentencing him to six months’ imprisonment — a decision upheld by a sessions court in 2019. The amount due eventually rose to nearly ₹9 crore.
Before surrendering for his imprisonment at Tihar Jail earlier this month, an emotional Rajpal reportedly told the court, “Sir, kya karoon? Mere paas paise nahin hain. Aur koi upaay nahin dikhta… Sir, yahan hum sab akele hain. There are no friends. I have to deal with this crisis on my own.”
Bollywood stands by the actor
Following his surrender, several Bollywood celebrities extended support to the veteran comedian. Sonu Sood, Mika Singh, and KRK offered financial assistance, while industry figures such as Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, Varun Dhawan, and David Dhawan reportedly reached out privately.
Sonu Sood wrote on social media, “Rajpal Yadav is a gifted actor who has given years of unforgettable work to our industry… When one of our own is going through a tough phase, the industry must remind him he’s not alone.”
What lies ahead
Rajpal's legal team has said that around ₹2 crore remains unpaid and will be cleared soon. The Delhi High Court will resume the hearing on Monday to decide whether any interim relief can be granted. Until then, the actor continues to serve his sentence at Tihar Jail.
