Veteran actor Rajpal Yadav surrendered to Tihar Jail on February 5 after the Delhi High Court refused to give him more time to settle a long-running cheque-bounce dispute that has ballooned into a near-₹9 crore liability. The court’s decision came after the bench noted repeated breaches of undertakings Yadav had given earlier, and ordered him to serve a six-month sentence previously imposed in the matter.
How this started
The dispute goes back to 2010, when Yadav borrowed money from Murali Projects Pvt Ltd to fund his directorial project Ata Pata Laapata. The film did not do well at the box office, and he did not repay the loan as promised. Several repayment cheques bounced, leading to complaints under the cheque-bounce laws. Over the years, interest, penalties, and legal costs increased the total debt to around ₹9 crore, according to court records and news reports.
Why cheque bounce cases can become criminal
Dishonour of a cheque is treated as an offence under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. While many civil debts result in recovery suits, a bounced cheque becomes a criminal matter if the statutory notice procedure is followed and the drawer fails to make payment within the prescribed time. Convictions can carry jail terms and fines penal provisions exist to push parties toward timely payment and to deter misuse.
Yadav’s reaction and the response
Before his surrender, Rajpal Yadav made an emotional statement stating, "Sir, kya karoon? Mere paas paise nahin hain. Aur koi upaay nahin dikhta… yahan hum sab akele hain. There are no friends. I have to deal with this crisis on my own," as quoted by NewsX.
Actor Sonu Sood came forward and publicly offered Yadav a role and a small signing amount, calling on the industry to support one of its own in a dignified way rather than with charity.
Political leader Tej Pratap Yadav posted on social media that he had learned of Rajpal Yadav’s family’s hardship and was stepping in to help. In a verified post, Tej Pratap who signed the message as national president of Jan Shakti Janata Dal said his party stands in “full solidarity” with Rajpal’s family and announced a financial contribution of ₹11,00,000 (eleven lakh rupees) from the JJD family to the actor’s family.Several peers and well-wishers have since urged producers to extend work to Yadav while the legal process continues.
Where this leaves his career
Despite the legal turmoil, Yadav continues to have projects in the pipeline. He appears in the Priyadarshan-directed horror-comedy Bhooth Bangla, produced by Akshay Kumar and others, which is slated for an April 10 release. Industry insiders say a timely box-office hit or steady supporting work could help rebuild his finances and, crucially, restore industry confidence in offering him advance payments rather than post-release settlements.
