The Supreme Court on Monday, October 5, 2026, expressed strong displeasure with actor Rajpal Yadav for failing to comply with its direction to deposit ₹5 crore in connection with multiple cheque bounce cases. The court has now given the actor a final 24-hour window to make the payment, warning of serious consequences if he fails to comply.
Supreme Court Questions ₹50 Lakh Payment
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana criticised Yadav after his lawyer produced a demand draft worth only ₹50 lakh, instead of the ₹5 crore amount directed by the court.
The ₹5 crore payment had been made a condition for the interim protection from arrest granted to Yadav on September 8. That protection was extended until October 5.
During the hearing, Justice Joymalya Bagchi made a strong observation, telling the actor, “Your place is in jail.” The remark came after Yadav’s counsel argued that the complainant was financially well-off.
Responding to the argument, Justice Bagchi said that the complainants might be wealthier than Yadav but were “poor to the extent you have swindled them.” The judge also criticised what the court viewed as Yadav’s conduct and questioned the credibility of the ₹50 lakh payment.
The bench also expressed concern over what it described as the actor’s “dubious” conduct and lack of regard for the court’s authority.
Case Dates Back to 2010
The legal dispute involving Yadav dates back to 2010, when he reportedly borrowed around ₹5 crore from Delhi-based M/s Murli Projects Pvt Ltd. The funds were taken to finance his directorial debut, the 2012 film Ata Pata Laapata.
Following the film’s commercial difficulties, Yadav faced problems repaying the loan. Over the years, the outstanding amount, including interest and penalties, reportedly rose to nearly ₹9 crore.
In April 2018, a magisterial court convicted Yadav and his wife, Radha Yadav, in the cheque bounce cases and sentenced the actor to six months of simple imprisonment. The conviction was subsequently upheld by a sessions court in 2019 and again in May 2024.
On July 10, 2026, the Delhi High Court upheld Yadav’s conviction in seven cheque bounce cases. However, it reduced his imprisonment from six months to three months and directed him to return to jail.
The High Court also ordered Yadav to pay ₹1.05 crore per case to the complainant, after accounting for the ₹2.25 crore already deposited. His wife, Radha Yadav, was directed to pay ₹5.51 lakh per case.
Supreme Court Grants Final Opportunity
During Monday’s proceedings, the court was informed that Yadav had said on September 15 that he was trying to arrange the required funds by selling properties. However, the promised ₹5 crore had still not been deposited.
The Supreme Court has now scheduled the matter for October 6, 2026, as the first case on its list. The bench has made it clear that the actor has been given a final opportunity to deposit the required ₹5 crore.