Supreme Court Sets ₹5 Crore Condition
The Supreme Court on Tuesday considered Rajpal Yadav’s plea challenging his conviction and sentence in multiple cheque-bounce cases.
The court granted him interim exemption from surrender, but made the relief conditional on depositing ₹5 crore with the Registry by Wednesday, September 9.
Three-Month Sentence in Seven Cases
The actor has been convicted in seven cheque dishonour cases under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act.
The Delhi High Court upheld his conviction and three-month imprisonment on July 10. It had directed him to surrender by September 10 to serve the sentence.
Yadav subsequently approached the Supreme Court challenging the High Court decision.
Dispute Linked to ‘Ata Pata Laapata’
The cases stem from financial arrangements connected to Yadav’s directorial film ‘Ata Pata Laapata’.
According to the case records, Murli Projects Pvt Ltd provided around ₹5 crore in 2010 in connection with the film’s financing. The dispute later escalated over repayment and the dishonour of cheques.
Murli Projects subsequently filed seven separate complaints over the bounced cheques.
Conviction Through Multiple Courts
A trial court convicted Yadav in all seven cases in 2018 and initially sentenced him to six months in prison in each case.
The sentence was later reduced to three months of simple imprisonment, with the sentences to run concurrently. The Sessions Court upheld the conviction in 2024.
The Delhi High Court subsequently declined to interfere with the conviction and sentence.
Previous Payment Commitments
During the prolonged legal proceedings, Yadav gave several undertakings regarding repayment. The Delhi High Court noted that some of those commitments were not fulfilled.
Around ₹2.25 crore had been paid during the proceedings, and the High Court directed that the amount already paid be adjusted against the amount payable.
Yadav’s Argument Before the Supreme Court
Yadav has argued that the parties subsequently entered into a settlement agreement in 2013.
His legal team contends that the settlement changed the nature of the dispute and that the original cheque-bounce complaints should not have continued after the settlement. The petition relies on previous Supreme Court precedent concerning the legal effect of settlement agreements in cheque dishonour cases.
Next Hearing on September 15
The Supreme Court has issued notice on Yadav’s plea and listed the matter for September 15.
Until then, the actor can remain exempt from surrendering if he complies with the court’s ₹5 crore deposit condition. The Supreme Court’s latest order is interim relief and does not amount to a final decision on his conviction or sentence.
Conclusion
Rajpal Yadav has received temporary relief from surrendering in the cheque-bounce cases after the Supreme Court directed him to deposit ₹5 crore by September 9. The court will consider his challenge to the Delhi High Court judgment on September 15, while the underlying conviction and sentence remain subject to further judicial proceedings.
