Today, the Delhi High Court made great progress in the case of actor Rajpal Yadav by releasing him on interim bail until 18 March 2026. The move comes as on February 5 that the actor surrendered to Tihar Jail for a ten-year old financial liability he could not abide by prior court commands.
The Conditions for Release
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, who was on the bench, prescribed tight conditions for the actor’s temporary release.
- Deposit: The court directed Yadav to pay a Demand Draft (DD) of ₹1.5 crore by 3:00 PM on Monday.
- Partial Payments: The actor had already paid a deposit of ₹25 lakh earlier this week in addition to ₹75 lakh in the previous deposit.
- The Purpose: Yadav applied for interim bail to attend his niece’s wedding which was set to be on February 19. It said that although interim relief was being granted the actor needs to prove “sincere and genuine measures” in order to clear the remaining dues, which have ballooned from the original ₹5 crore loan to around ₹9 crore along with interest and penalties.
Background: The Fallout of ‘Ata Pata Laapata’
The legal saga dates back to 2010, when Rajpal Yadav borrowed ₹5 crore from a Delhi-based businessman (Murali Projects Pvt. Ltd.) to give him cash injection, to give him his directorial debut, Ata Pata Laapata.
Failure at the Box Office: The film never made it to the box-office and left the actor with a financial crisis.
Cheque Bounce: Later cheques were dishonored and made for the actor under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act resulting in the actor being criminally arrested.
Previous Sentence: He spent a short time in Tihar Jail with a few months in Tihar Jail for same case in 2018. Bollywood Rallies Behind the Star. But when news of his imprisonment first broke out, the film fraternity demonstrated unprecedented levels of solidarity.
Sonu Sood: The actor was the first who gave public support, he reportedly called for a good outcome on Monday, and on Wednesday offered Rajpal a role in his forthcoming film with a “dignified” signing money to help put things right.
Other Supporters: Icons including Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar reportedly reached out to the family and the likes of colleagues Gurmeet Choudhary or Mika Singh have also promised their support as well. Family Response. Rajpal’s wife Radha Yadav, speaking to the media, said she was truly grateful for the support. “We are as a family at this moment. We are extremely thankful for the love he has got at his fingertips and the film fraternity,” she said.
This temporary bail is a temporary victory, but Rajpal Yadav’s lawyers will need to put forward a concrete settlement plan when the case comes before court in mid-March. Meanwhile: the star who has had the masses roaring over him is finally going home to his much-needed festivities.
