No relief for Rajpal Yadav, court jailed him for 3 months in cheque bounce cases

The Delhi High Court on Friday upheld the conviction of Bollywood actor Rajpal Yadav in multiple cheque bounce cases, sentencing him to three months of simple imprisonment in each of the seven cases registered against him. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma delivered the verdict, ruling that all seven prison sentences will run concurrently. The legal dispute originates from 2010 when Yadav borrowed Rs 5 crore from Murli Projects Pvt. Ltd to finance his directorial venture, Ata Pata Laapata, which subsequently failed at the box office and led to escalating financial liabilities now nearing Rs 9 crore.

While dismissing Yadav's revision petitions, the High Court ordered the actor to pay Rs 1.05 crore to the complainant in each of the seven cases, alongside an additional Rs 1.04 crore to the complainant and Rs 25,000 to the State. Furthermore, the court directed his wife, Radha Yadav, to pay Rs 5.51 crore to the complainant in each of the cases. Justice Sharma clarified that an amount of Rs 2.25 crore already deposited by the actor during the prolonged litigation will be adjusted against the final dues, though failure to pay the remaining court-mandated fines would result in an additional six months of imprisonment.

The High Court explicitly declined to grant Yadav the benefit of probation, citing his inconsistent conduct, shifting stances, and repeated violations of structural undertakings given to the court during the proceedings. Expressing disapproval of the actor's unfulfilled commitments, Justice Sharma reprimanded the defense submissions regarding delayed repayment schedules, noting that the judiciary's leniency should not be mistaken for weakness. The court has granted Yadav a period of two months to approach an appellate forum or comply with the final execution of the judgment.