Bollywood actor and comedian Rajpal Yadav has been sentenced to three months imprisonment after the Delhi High Court upheld his conviction in a long-running cheque bounce case. The court rejected the revision petitions filed by Yadav and his wife, affirming the earlier decisions of the trial court and sessions court in several cheque dishonour cases filed under the Negotiable Instruments Act.
The case goes back to Murli Projects Pvt. Ltd., which had extended a loan to Rajpal Yadav for the production of his 2012 film Ata Pata Laapata. The film didn't perform well at the box office and the actor was unable to repay the loan. Cheques for repayment were dishonoured due to insufficient funds, leading the company to initiate legal proceedings. The outstanding liability was very high for years as the money was borrowed and its interest and other financial obligations were very high.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma said Rajpal Yadav was given many opportunities to settle the matter but he failed to honour his promises. In a strong statement, the court said that “the law is not a script that can be rewritten by the will of an actor” and that every citizen is equally accountable before the law regardless of profession or public stature.
Apart from the three-month jail term the High Court also ordered Rajpal Yadav to pay compensation to the complainant in each of the seven cheque bounce complaints. The court said that approximately ₹2 crore already paid by the actor during earlier court proceedings will be applied to the compensation amount. The sentences in the seven cases will be served simultaneously, which means he will serve a total of three months rather than two consecutive terms.
The case has turned around for several years now. In 2024 the High Court had temporarily suspended his sentence after the actor promised the court that he would make genuine efforts to resolve the matter peacefully. Rajpal Yadav had also obtained interim relief after he deposited some of the outstanding money earlier this year. But the court said repeated promises and settlement promises were not fulfilled and so it restored the sentence.
But Rajpal Yadav has two months to seek a higher appellate court in the case if he wants to challenge that judgement. The conviction and sentence remain in force. Legal experts say the decision also strengthens the seriousness of cheque dishonour cases in Indian courts when court orders and settlement undertakings are repeatedly violated.
Rajpal Yadav is one of Bollywood’s most popular comic actors, and has appeared in films like Hungama, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Chup Chup Ke, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Bhagam Bhag. While the legal setback has made headlines across the country, the actor will now decide if he will challenge the Delhi High Court’s verdict in court and appeal it to the higher court.
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