- Rajpal Yadav surrendered at Tihar Jail after Delhi High Court rejected his plea in a cheque bounce case
- The case involves unpaid dues of nearly Rs 9 crore from his failed film Ata Pata Laapata
- Rajpal Yadav’s brother denied claims of no industry support and said Rajpal remains hopeful
Comic actor Rajpal Yadav surrendered at Tihar Jail on February 5 after the Delhi High Court rejected his last-minute plea in a decade-old cheque bounce and loan default case.
The case, which dates back to 2010, revolves around unpaid dues that reportedly escalated to nearly Rs 9 crore following the failure of his production venture Ata Pata Laapata.
An entertainment portal quoted Rajpal Yadav saying he didn't find any way out before surrendering. He reportedly added that he had not received any support from colleagues, saying, "Everyone is on their own" in the industry.
Meanwhile, NDTV spoke to Rajpal's elder brother Sripal Yadav and asked him about the veracity of his brother's circulated words.
"I feel this information is not correct. He is my younger brother; we stayed in one room and grew up together. I don't believe he can say these words. Even if he is in trouble, he won't plead to anyone," Sripal Yadav told NDTV.
Asked about his last conversation with Rajpal before he went to jail, Sripal said Rajpal had assured him he would be back soon.
"He called me and said, 'Don't worry about anything. I have to go to court for a day, and some legal procedures will be followed,'" Sripal Yadav told us.
Asserting that his brother had invested money in a film, Sripal Yadav said, "Rajpal assured me that he will prove the fact that he didn't take any loans. He invested the money in a film. He signed a few papers regarding the investment. When the film failed, investments were demanded from him by showing those signatures."
Sripal Yadav's daughter is getting married, and the family is hopeful that Rajpal will be with them for the occasion.
The Case
According to PTI, the legal trouble started in 2010 when Rajpal Yadav borrowed Rs 5 crore from M/s Murali Projects Pvt Ltd to finance his directorial debut, Ata Pata Laapata. The film failed at the box office, leading to major financial losses.
Over time, interest, penalties, and delayed payments caused the outstanding amount to rise to nearly Rs 9 crore.
To settle the dues, Rajpal Yadav issued multiple cheques to the lender. However, these cheques were dishonoured, triggering criminal proceedings under the Negotiable Instruments Act.
On February 2, 2026, the Delhi High Court directed Rajpal Yadav to surrender before jail authorities by 4 pm on February 4. The court observed that his conduct deserved to be deprecated due to repeated breaches of undertakings.
On February 5, 2026, Rajpal Yadav appeared physically before the court for the proceedings. His counsel informed the court that he was ready to submit a demand draft of Rs 25 lakh and adhere to a fresh payment schedule.
Despite the offer, the judge declined to recall the surrender order, emphasising that compassion must be balanced with discipline and that the judiciary could not create "special circumstances" for individuals from the film industry.
Later that day, Rajpal Yadav surrendered at Tihar Jail and began serving his six-month sentence. Jail authorities confirmed that standard procedures were followed.
On the professional front, Rajpal Yadav was last seen in Baby John and Interrogation. He is set to appear next in Akshay Kumar's horror-comedy Bhoot Bangla, scheduled for release on April 10.
