For multiple cheque bounce cases, Bollywood actor Rajpal Yadav has been sentenced to three months of simple imprisonment by the Delhi High Court for cheating his wife, Radha Yadav, over the repayment of loans obtained for film production.
The order was passed by a single-judge bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, which reduced Rajpal Yadav’s earlier six-month sentence to three months. However, the court was very critical of the actor for not honouring his promises before the judiciary to pay his dues.
Background of the Case
The case is connected to a financial transaction between Rajpal Yadav, his wife Radha Yadav, and M/s Murli Projects Private Limited. The couple borrowed money from the company to finance a film project, according to court records. The cheques that were issued for the repayment of the liability were dishonoured, leading to multiple complaints filed under the Negotiable Instruments Act.
Throughout the course of the proceedings, the court offered several opportunities to the actor to settle the dispute. Rajpal Yadav had also made a promise to pay the outstanding amount within the stipulated time to the court.
Court Criticises Repeated Non-Compliance
Despite repeated promises by the actor, he failed to meet the commitments made in court-mandated terms. The High Court had shown Rajpal Yadav considerable leniency in this regard as it provided enough time and opportunities to reach an amicable settlement, the judge said. However, Rajpal Yadav did not meet all the commitments made by the court and misused the relief granted by the court, the judge noted.
The bench ruled that such conduct could not be overlooked and warranted appropriate punishment.
Sentence and Compensation
Rajpal Yadav was sentenced to three months of simple imprisonment for each of the seven cheque bounce cases by the High Court. All sentences would run concurrently, according to the court, meaning that the actor will serve them all simultaneously rather than consecutively.
Besides the jail term, the court ordered Rajpal Yadav to pay ₹1.05 crore to the complainant company in each case. The court also directed him to pay ₹1.0475 crore as compensation to the complainant and a fine of ₹25,000 to the government.
The court also issued financial directions for Radha Yadav to pay compensation to the complainant company in each of the cases in accordance with the court’s order.
The bench clarified that the ₹2.25 crore already deposited by Rajpal Yadav during the proceedings would be adjusted against the final amount payable.
Previous Interim Relief
Earlier this year, Rajpal Yadav had surrendered to Tihar Jail in compliance with an earlier High Court order. After he deposited part of the outstanding amount, he was granted interim relief, and the sentence was temporarily suspended.
However, the court observed that he still failed to pay the remaining dues within the stipulated time. It also ruled that he was not entitled to protection under the Probation of Offenders Act, which resulted in the confirmation of the jail sentence.
The judgment emphasizes the judiciary's firm stance on repeated non-compliance with court orders and reinforces the legal consequences of cheque dishonour and breach of undertakings made before the court.
