New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted actor Rajpal Yadav a final opportunity of two weeks to present a concrete repayment proposal to resolve an outstanding debt with a private company, directing him to deposit 2 crore rupees with the court registry. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, extended Yadav’s exemption from surrendering to jail authorities until October 5 while reprimanding him over past compliance failures.
The dispute stems from financial assistance of 5 crore rupees extended to Yadav in 2010 for a film production venture. According to the complainant firm, M/s Murali Projects Pvt Ltd, an agreement executed in 2012 stipulated that the actor, his spouse, and their production company would repay roughly 11 crore rupees inclusive of accrued interest. However, seven cheques worth 1.05 crore rupees each tendered by Yadav in 2013 were dishonoured upon presentation, triggering protracted litigation under the Negotiable Instruments Act.
During the proceedings, the bench noted that Yadav’s previous conduct failed to inspire judicial confidence due to repeated non-compliance with court directives. Representing the actor, senior advocate P.S. Patwalia requested two weeks to finalize a tangible settlement plan and offered the interim deposit of 2 crore rupees to demonstrate bona fide intent, pointing out that Yadav had already served four and a half months in prison and was relying on industry colleagues for financial assistance. The complainant’s counsel objected strongly, noting persistent defaults on agreed payment terms.
The apex court’s intervention comes after the Delhi High Court on July 10 upheld Yadav’s conviction across multiple cheque-bounce cases and sentenced him to three months’ imprisonment. The top court scheduled the next hearing for October 5, making it clear that the relief remains conditional on depositing the stipulated amount and submitting a definitive plan to clear the remaining dues.
