Rajpal Yadav faces setback in cheque bounce case; Delhi High Court refuses bail

Bollywood actor and comedian Rajpal Yadav has suffered a major legal setback in a 15-year-old cheque bounce case, with the Delhi High Court refusing to grant him bail. The court has directed that he remain in custody until the next hearing, scheduled for Monday.

The case dates back to 2010, when Yadav reportedly borrowed ₹5 crore from a Delhi-based businessman associated with Murli Projects to finance his film “Ata Pata Lapata”. The film, released in 2012 and directed by Yadav while produced by his wife Radha, performed poorly at the box office, leading to significant financial losses. The actor failed to repay the loan, and the matter eventually escalated legally in 2018. With accumulated interest, the amount reportedly rose to nearly ₹9 crore.

After failing to comply with court directions regarding repayment, Yadav surrendered before authorities and was lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail on February 5, 2026. He has already served two previous jail terms in connection with the case. During the bail hearing, the Delhi High Court reprimanded the actor for repeatedly delaying repayment despite multiple opportunities. The court questioned why Yadav was seeking suspension of his sentence when he had previously admitted to taking the loan and promised to repay it.

As per reports, the judge observed that Yadav had been given 25 to 30 opportunities to settle the matter, including proceedings at a mediation centre where he assured payment. However, the commitments were not fulfilled over the years. “You admitted that this was a genuine loan transaction for film production. You promised to pay but did not honour your word. You had to surrender because of non-compliance with court orders. I see no reason to intervene,” the court reportedly stated, adding, “I may sympathise with you, but the law is the law.”

The defence also sought temporary bail citing a wedding in Yadav’s family, but the plea was not accepted. Before surrendering, Rajpal Yadav reportedly made an emotional statement about his financial struggles, saying he had no money and no friends to support him and would have to face the situation alone. Following this, several members of the film fraternity came forward to extend financial assistance.

Around 14 celebrities have reportedly offered support, including Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, Varun Dhawan, David Dhawan, Sonu Sood, Tej Pratap Yadav, Rao Inderjit Singh, Guru Randhawa, Gurmeet Choudhary, KRK, and Mika Singh. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has also appealed to the industry and the public to help the actor during this difficult phase. Yadav’s wife Radha expressed gratitude to everyone who extended support.