There appears to be no immediate relief for Rajpal Yadav in the ongoing cheque bounce case. The Delhi High Court has adjourned his bail plea to February 16. However, his lawyer informed the court that the actor has already repaid ₹2.5 crore and is willing to deposit more toward the outstanding amount.
‘Half the amount has been paid’
Speaking to the media outside the court, advocate Bhaskar Upadhyay said that Rajpal has cleared ₹2.5 crore out of the original ₹5 crore loan taken for his film. He argued that imprisonment in such matters should not be based solely on an undertaking.
“We informed the court that if this is purely a financial issue, we are ready to meet him in jail and take instructions. We attempted to speak with him today but couldn’t. We will meet him personally to understand the court’s position regarding the earlier undertaking. If the money is paid, the matter will be treated as a settlement rather than argued on merits,” he said.
The lawyer further explained that the initial ₹5 crore liability eventually escalated to ₹11 crore due to interest and penalties. Of the ₹2.5 crore already paid, around ₹1 crore had been deposited earlier with the court registry, and a cheque of ₹25 lakh was also submitted. He added that the defence is prepared to deposit any further assistance received, with the final decision now resting on the court.
Background of the case
Rajpal surrendered at Tihar Jail on February 5 after the High Court declined to grant additional time in the long-pending cheque dishonour case. The dispute dates back to 2010, when he borrowed ₹5 crore from Delhi-based Murali Projects Pvt Ltd to finance his directorial debut Ata Pata Laapata (2012). The film’s failure reportedly led to financial losses and a prolonged legal battle.
In 2018, a magisterial court convicted the actor under the Negotiable Instruments Act and sentenced him to six months in jail — a ruling upheld by a sessions court in 2019. Over time, the total payable amount rose to nearly ₹9 crore.
Before surrendering, Rajpal reportedly made an emotional plea in court, saying he had no money and was facing the crisis alone.
During the recent hearing, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma observed that the actor’s imprisonment stemmed from his failure to honour his own settlement commitments. The court also questioned his request for suspension of sentence, noting that he had pleaded guilty and agreed to repay the amount.
The matter is now scheduled for its next hearing on Monday.
