Rajpal Yadav Faces Supreme Court Deadline Over Cheque Bounce Case: What’s Next for the Actor?

Supreme Court's Ultimatum to Rajpal Yadav

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has granted actor Rajpal Yadav a final two-week window to present a solid plan for settling his debts with a private firm, mandating him to deposit ₹2 crore with the court's registry.

The firm claims that Yadav issued seven cheques, each worth ₹1.05 crore, in 2013 to settle a ₹5 crore financial assistance agreement from 2010. However, these cheques were reportedly dishonored.

The complainant asserts that a 2012 agreement indicated that Yadav, along with his wife and their company, committed to repaying approximately ₹11 crore, inclusive of interest.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana has extended Yadav's exemption from surrendering until October 5.

Previously, on July 10, the Delhi High Court upheld Yadav's conviction in several cheque-bounce cases, sentencing him to three months in prison.

The bench remarked on Yadav's theatrical behavior, noting that he has not complied with earlier court orders, yet they are allowing him one last chance.

Yadav's attorney, senior advocate P S Patwalia, requested two weeks to formulate a payment proposal and confirmed that Yadav would deposit ₹2 crore to demonstrate his good faith.

Patwalia mentioned that Yadav has already spent four and a half months in jail, with support from friends in the entertainment industry aiding his release.

On behalf of the complainant, M/s Murali Projects Pvt Ltd, senior advocate Ajit Sinha expressed concerns regarding the unpaid dues, emphasizing Yadav's failure to meet his obligations.

The bench has scheduled the next hearing for October 5.

On September 8, the Supreme Court issued a notice regarding Yadav's plea, stating that he could avoid surrendering if he deposited ₹5 crore with the court.

The high court had previously denied Yadav's request to overlook a significant delay of 1,894 days in filing appeals against his conviction, ordering him to pay over ₹1 crore to the complainant for each of the seven cases.

However, it clarified that the ₹2 crore already paid by Yadav would be deducted from this amount and suspended his sentence for two months to allow him to appeal.

In its detailed 108-page ruling, the high court noted Yadav's repeated failures to fulfill his payment commitments to M/s Murali Projects Pvt Ltd, despite the court's attempts to facilitate a resolution.

The court dismissed Yadav's request for probation, affirming that there was no error in the lower court's sentencing decision.

It ordered that out of the total fines, ₹1.04 crore would be allocated to the complainant and ₹25,000 to the state for each case.

Additionally, Yadav's wife, Radha Rajpal Yadav, was ordered to pay approximately ₹5.5 lakh in fines to the complainant for each case, with a three-month imprisonment penalty for non-payment.

This ruling followed revision petitions filed by Yadav and his wife challenging a 2019 sessions court decision that upheld their earlier convictions from April 2018.