The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave actor Rajpal Yadav a final two-week opportunity to present a concrete plan for clearing his outstanding dues to a private company. The court also directed him to deposit ₹2 crore with the apex court registry. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana extended Yadav’s exemption from surrendering until October 5, when the matter will be heard again. The case relates to a financial dispute with M/s Murali Projects Pvt Ltd. According to the company, it provided Yadav financial assistance of ₹5 crore in 2010 for a film project. The complainant alleged that Yadav subsequently issued seven cheques worth ₹1.05 crore each in 2013 as part of a settlement, but all the cheques were dishonoured. The company further claimed that an agreement signed in 2012 required Yadav, his wife Radha Rajpal Yadav and their company to repay approximately ₹11 crore, including interest.

SC questions Yadav’s compliance with earlier orders

During Tuesday’s hearing, the Supreme Court expressed dissatisfaction with Yadav’s previous conduct and said earlier court directions had not been complied with. The bench observed that his conduct did not inspire confidence but decided to grant him a final opportunity to demonstrate his willingness to settle the dues. Senior advocate P S Patwalia, appearing for Yadav, sought two weeks to submit a concrete repayment proposal. He said Yadav would deposit ₹2 crore with the registry as an indication of his bona fides. Patwalia also told the court that Yadav had already spent around four-and-a-half months in prison and that friends from the entertainment industry were helping him secure bail. Senior advocate Ajit Sinha, representing Murali Projects, said the complainant was primarily concerned with recovering the money, alleging that Yadav had repeatedly failed to honour his commitments.

The Supreme Court listed the matter for further hearing on October 5. Delhi HC upheld Yadav’s conviction On July 10, the Delhi High Court upheld Yadav’s conviction in seven cheque-bounce cases and reduced his sentence to three months’ imprisonment. The court also refused to condone a delay of 1,894 days more than five years in filing his petitions challenging the conviction. The High Court directed Yadav to pay more than ₹1 crore to the complainant in each of the seven cases. It clarified that approximately ₹2 crore already deposited by the actor would be adjusted against the amount due. The sentence was kept in abeyance for two months to allow Yadav to approach the appellate court. In its 108-page judgment, the High Court noted that Yadav had repeatedly failed to honour assurances regarding payments to Murali Projects. It said that despite attempts to facilitate an amicable settlement, the actor had declined to make any further payment. The court also rejected Yadav’s plea seeking release on probation and found no reason to interfere with the sentence imposed by the lower court. Of the fine imposed in each case, ₹1.04 crore was directed to be paid to the complainant, while ₹25,000 was to be deposited with the state. Yadav’s wife, Radha Rajpal Yadav, was also directed to pay a fine of around ₹5.5 lakh to the complainant in each case. In case of non-payment, she would face simple imprisonment for three months.

Case dates back to 2018 conviction

The High Court’s July verdict followed revision petitions filed by Yadav and his wife against a 2019 sessions court order that had upheld their conviction by a magistrate in the cheque-bounce cases. The magisterial court had originally sentenced Yadav to six months in prison in April 2018. The sentence was later reduced to three months. Earlier, on September 8, the Supreme Court had issued notice on Yadav’s plea and said his surrender could be deferred subject to a ₹5 crore deposit with the court registry.