New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has granted interim bail to actor Rajpal Yadav till March 18 in a cheque bounce case. The court permitted his temporary release to enable him to attend his niece’s wedding in Shahjahanpur. The interim bail was sanctioned after the High Court instructed Yadav to submit a demand draft of Rs 1.5 crore in the respondent’s name by 3 PM. His legal counsel subsequently informed the court that the demand draft had been deposited.
The court has further ordered Rajpal Yadav to surrender his passport. The case is scheduled for the next hearing on March 18. The actor is expected to be released from Tihar Jail later today after being incarcerated for over a week.
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Prior to Rajpal Yadav’s interim bail, actor Sonu Sood posted on X (formerly Twitter), stating the “wait is almost over”. “Because of your prayers and unwavering support, the wait is almost over. Time to get ready, the laughter you’ve been missing is about to return to the screen. Stay tuned,” Sonu Sood wrote.
Background of the Cheque Bounce Case
In 2010, Rajpal Yadav borrowed Rs 5 crore to finance his first directorial project, Ata Pata Laapata. Unfortunately, the film’s failure at the box office led to mounting debt, which eventually swelled to Rs 9 crore. The actor faced legal repercussions in 2018 after repayment cheques bounced, leading to a conviction and a six-month prison sentence under the Negotiable Instruments Act.
Although the Delhi High Court initially paused the sentence in 2024 to allow Yadav to settle his debts, it declined any further extensions this February. The court also directed the actor to surrender at Tihar Jail. Yadav, before turning himself in, expressed his struggle, noting a lack of financial resources and industry support. The 54-year-old actor, last seen in Baby John, is slated to appear in upcoming projects like Bhoot Bangla and Welcome To The Jungle.