Here is the breakdown of the legal battle that led to the actor's imprisonment.
The Surrender: "No More Extensions" ⚖️
The Deadline: The High Court had originally ordered Yadav to surrender by February 4. When he failed to do so, seeking more time to arrange funds, the court lost patience.
The Verdict: On Thursday, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma rejected his final plea (where his lawyer offered a demand draft of ₹25 Lakhs) and ordered him to surrender immediately.
The Scene: complying with the order, Rajpal Yadav reached Tihar Jail around 4:00 PM on Thursday to serve his sentence.
The Backstory: A Movie That Cost Millions 💸
This isn't a new case; it dates back over a decade.
The Loan: In 2010, Yadav and his wife Radha took a loan of ₹5 Crore from a Delhi-based company (Murli Projects) to fund his directorial debut, Ata Pata Laapata.
The Default: The film flopped, and the loan was never fully repaid. The cheques issued by the actor bounced, leading to a legal battle under the Negotiable Instruments Act.
The Sentence: In 2018, a trial court convicted him and sentenced him to 6 months in prison. This sentence was upheld in 2019, but he had been out on bail/extensions while trying to settle the dues (which reportedly now stand at over ₹9 Crore including interest).
Court's Harsh Observation 🗣️
The High Court was scathing in its remarks regarding the actor's conduct:
"Leniency cannot be extended endlessly... The law rewards compliance and not its contempt. This Court cannot be expected to show special circumstances for any person merely because they belong to a particular industry."
SantaBanta Verdict: Rajpal Yadav has made us laugh for decades, but this serves as a harsh reminder that financial liabilities don't disappear with stardom. We hope he resolves the dues and bounces back, but for now, the law has taken its course.
