Bollywood actor Rajpal Yadav is said to have turned himself in to the Tihar jail officials on Thursday after facing a legal challenge in Delhi. This occurred after the Delhi High Court denied his request to postpone his surrender deadline on Wednesday, February 4.
The actor's decision to turn himself in to authorities is related to a lawsuit initiated by a company against him and his wife several years ago, accusing them of issuing multiple bounced checks and not repaying the owed amount.
The court maintained its decision requiring Rajpal Yadav to turn himself in to jail authorities, stating that it cannot be anticipated to 'make exceptions' due to his background or the industry he belongs to.
A brief chronology:
In 2018, a magisterial court found Rajpal Yadav and his wife guilty in cheque-bounce cases in April, under Section 138 (cheque dishonour) of the Negotiable Instruments Act. They were sentenced to six months in jail.
2019: A sessions court confirmed the decision of the magisterial court in January 2019. Subsequently, Rajpal Yadav and his wife Radha submitted revision petitions to the Delhi High Court, contesting the sessions court's ruling.
In June 2024, the Delhi High Court put on hold the six-month sentence given to the couple, observing that they were not habitual offenders. Since then, the suspension has been periodically extended.
In December of the previous year, Rajpal Yadav's lawyer confirmed to the court that demand drafts totaling ₹40 lakh had been arranged, and the outstanding sum of ₹2.10 crore would be settled by January 19, 2026.
On February 4, 2026, the Delhi High Court declined to provide further extensions for the suspension of jail surrender and instructed Rajpal Yadav to present himself to the jail superintendent by 4 p.m. that day.
February 5, 2026: Maintaining its previous position, the Delhi High Court declined to withdraw its order for surrender, with Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma noting that the actor's failure to comply the previous day demonstrated a lack of respect for the law.
Accusations involving Rajpal Yadav and his spouse
The complainant in the case involving Rajpal Yadav and his wife was a company called M/s Murali Projects Pvt Ltd. The company claimed that Yadav borrowed ₹5 crore in 2010 for the production of the film Ata Pata Lapata, with an agreement to repay ₹8 crore, but did not fulfill this obligation.
The company also mentioned that the settlement sum was adjusted to ₹7 crore, but the seven cheques provided for the payment were dishonored.
According to a February 2 ruling by the Delhi High Court, Yadav was obligated to pay ₹1.35 crore in each of the seven cases filed against him. The court also observed that even after his jail sentence was extended, Rajpal Yadav consistently failed to fulfill his promises to repay M/s Murali Projects Pvt Ltd.
As reported by news agency PTI, the court order mentioned that two demand drafts totaling ₹75 lakh were submitted to the Registrar General in October 2025, while an outstanding amount of ₹9 crore was still due.
(With Inputs from The Bridge Chronicle correspondents)
