Rajpal Yadav case: Rajpal Yadav Gets Final Two-Week Reprieve from Supreme Court, Asked to Deposit ₹2 Crore
Bollywood actor Rajpal Yadav has received temporary relief from the Supreme Court of India in seven cheque-bounce cases. After failing to deposit the ₹5 crore previously ordered by the court, Yadav has now been granted a final two-week extension.
The court has directed him to deposit at least ₹2 crore with the Supreme Court Registry during this period. He has also been exempted from surrendering until October 5, when the matter will come up for the next hearing.
However, Yadav has been directed to surrender his passport.
Supreme Court Grants Rajpal Yadav a Final Opportunity
The Supreme Court had granted Yadav interim protection during a hearing on September 8, subject to the condition that he deposit ₹5 crore with the court registry.
As he was unable to arrange the amount within the stipulated period, the actor returned to the Supreme Court seeking additional time.
On Tuesday, the matter was heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohan.
Senior advocate P.S. Patwalia, appearing for Yadav, told the court that the actor did not currently have the required funds. He sought two weeks to prepare a concrete proposal for clearing the outstanding dues.
His legal team also offered to deposit at least ₹2 crore as a demonstration of his intention to comply with the court’s directions.
The bench granted the request but made it clear that this would be the last opportunity.
Yadav must deposit ₹2 crore within two weeks and submit a specific proposal detailing how the remaining amount will be paid.
Court Questions Yadav’s Previous Conduct
During the hearing, the Supreme Court also expressed displeasure over Yadav’s previous conduct in the matter.
The Chief Justice questioned how much reliance could be placed on the actor after previous undertakings given to the court had not been fulfilled.
The bench also made a pointed reference to Yadav’s profession as an actor, with the Chief Justice questioning whether similar conduct was being displayed before the court.
Following assurances from Yadav’s lawyers, however, the court agreed to grant him the additional two-week period.
Speaking to news agency ANI after the hearing, Yadav’s lawyer Bhaskar Upadhyay welcomed the order. He said the legal team was relieved to have been given an opportunity to deposit ₹2 crore instead of the earlier ₹5 crore requirement and assured that all court directions would be followed.
How the Rajpal Yadav Case Began
The legal dispute dates back around 16 years and is linked to Yadav’s 2010 film ‘Ata Pata Laapata’, which he directed.
Yadav had reportedly received financial assistance of around ₹5 crore from Delhi-based Murli Projects to produce the film. Released in 2012, the movie did not perform as expected at the box office.
A dispute subsequently arose over repayment of the money.
According to the complainant company, a settlement reached in 2012 required Rajpal Yadav, his wife and their company to repay around ₹11 crore, including interest.
As part of the repayment arrangement, seven cheques of ₹1.05 crore each were issued in 2013. All seven cheques were allegedly dishonoured, leading to seven separate cheque-bounce cases.
Conviction and Three-Month Sentences
In April 2018, a lower court convicted Yadav in the seven cases. The conviction was upheld by a sessions court in 2019.
Yadav subsequently challenged the verdict before the Delhi High Court.
In July this year, the Delhi High Court upheld his conviction and sentenced him to three months in prison in each of the seven cases. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
The court also directed him to pay more than ₹1 crore to the complainant in each case. Any amount already paid by Yadav was to be adjusted against the outstanding dues.
Yadav then approached the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order.
₹5 Crore Condition Was Not Met
During the September 8 hearing, the Supreme Court granted Yadav temporary protection from surrender, subject to the deposit of ₹5 crore.
As he failed to meet that condition within the prescribed period, he sought additional time.
The Supreme Court has now reduced the immediate deposit requirement to ₹2 crore and granted him two more weeks, while continuing his protection from surrender until October 5.
Next Hearing on October 5
Rajpal Yadav will not have to surrender until October 5, but he must submit his passport to the court in the meantime.
At the next hearing, the court is expected to consider whether Yadav has complied with the direction to deposit ₹2 crore and whether he has submitted a concrete plan for clearing the remaining dues.
The next two weeks will therefore be crucial for the actor as he attempts to comply with the Supreme Court’s latest directions.
Meanwhile, Yadav was recently seen in filmmaker Priyadarshan’s crime thriller ‘Haiwaan’, which features Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan in the lead roles.
