NEW DELHI, Feb 10: The noted Bollywood actor comedian Rajpal Yadav has surrendered at Tihar Jail after the Delhi High Court rejected his last-minute plea for more time in a long-running check bounce and loan default case.
The court ordered him to serve a six-month sentence on February 5 after observing repeated violations of its directions. The case, which dates back to 2010, revolves around unpaid dues that reportedly escalated to nearly Rs 9 crore following the failure of his production venture. Ata Pata Laapata.
What began as a business setback more than a decade ago gradually turned into a prolonged legal battle, culminating in Rajpal Yadav’s imprisonment despite multiple opportunities for settlement.
The legal trouble started in 2010, when Rajpal Yadav borrowed approximately Rs 5 crore from M/s Murali Projects Pvt Ltd to finance his directorial debut, Ata Pata Laapata. The film failed at the box office, leading to major financial losses.
With limited returns from the project, Rajpal Yadav found it difficult to repay the loan. Over time, interest, penalties, and delayed payments caused the outstanding amount to rise to nearly Rs 9 crore.
To settle the dues, Rajpal Yadav issued multiple checks to the lender. However, these checks were dishonoured, triggering criminal proceedings under the Negotiable Instruments Act.
In April 2018, a magisterial court convicted Rajpal Yadav and his wife in several check bounce cases and sentenced him to six months’ imprisonment. A sessions court upheld this conviction in 2019, leading to further appeals before the Delhi High Court.
While loan defaults are generally treated as civil disputes, the Delhi High Court took a serious view of Rajpal Yadav’s repeated failure to honor court undertakings.
Over several years, he was granted multiple extensions to repay the amount in instalments. The court noted that although he made partial payments and gave repeated assurances, he consistently failed to comply with the agreed schedules.
In its observations, the court stated that Rajpal Yadav was required to pay Rs 1.35 crore in each of the seven cases filed against him. It also directed that the amount already deposited with the Registrar General be released in favor of the complainant.
In October 2025, two demand drafts of Rs 75 lakh were deposited. However, the court recorded that nearly Rs 9 crore remained payable.
In June 2024, the High Court temporarily suspended Rajpal Yadav’s conviction, subject to him adopting “sincere and genuine measures” to explore an amicable settlement. The court later found that these efforts had not yielded meaningful results.
On February 5, 2026, Rajpal Yadav appeared physically before the court for the proceedings. His counsel informed the court that he was ready to submit a demand draft of Rs 25 lakh and adhere to a fresh payment schedule.
Despite the offer, the judge declined to recall the surrender order, emphasizing that compassion must be balanced with discipline and that the judiciary could not create “special circumstances” for individuals from the film industry. The court observed that his conduct deserved to be deprecated due to repeated breaches of undertakings.
Later that day, Rajpal Yadav surrendered at Tihar Jail and began serving his six-month sentence. Jail authorities confirmed that standard procedures were followed.
Before his surrender Rajpal Yadav had expressed his helplessness, saying, “What to do? I don’t have the money to pay back. can’t see another way out.” He also admitted that he had not received much support from colleagues, adding, “Everyone is on their own” in the industry.
Following Rajpal Yadav’s surrender, several members of the film industry publicly extended support. Actor Sonu Sood announced that he would offer Rajpal Yadav a role and a signing amount. In a post on
He further added, “A small signing amount, adjustable against future work, is not charity, it’s dignity. When one of our own is going through a tough phase… This is how we show we are more than just an industry.”
Filmmaker Anees Bazmee said, “I’ve known Rajpal Yadav for the past 20-25 years… He never had any intention of wronging anyone… Very few people in the film industry are fully proficient in paperwork… He is still working and earning gradually, but paying such a large amount at once is not easy for him.”
He also said, “We are all one industry, one family. We should help him according to our capacity and try to get him out of this difficult situation.”
Actor Gurmeet Choudhary expressed his concern on He added, “Our industry is a family. And family does not abandon its own.”
On the professional front, Rajpal Yadav was last seen in baby john and Interrogation. He is set to appear next in Akshay Kumar’s horror-comedy. Bhoot Banglascheduled for release on April 10.
(Rohit Kumar)
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