Not sending Rajpal Yadav to jail; will decide cheque bounce cases: Delhi HC

Extending the suspension of actor Rajpal Yadav’s sentence till April 1, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday said it will not send him to jail in connection with his conviction in cheque bounce cases as he has made “substantial” payment.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma observed that the court will hear and finally decide Yadav’s appeal against the trial court decision and asked the actor’s lawyer to make his submissions.

“I am hearing you on the main petition. I am not sending him to jail right now. He has made a substantial payment. I will decide the matter,” the judge said.

The court told Yadav, who was physically present, that he has the option to either return the money or contest the matter.

The counsel for the complainant said his application for vacation of suspension of sentence was pending.

Noting that Yadav has already deposited Rs 4.25 crore, the court responded, “I don’t find any reason. He is not running away…

“He has given you (some) money. On the next date, if I decide the money has to come to you, it will come to you… He is coming to the court, he has been in jail. What else do you want in (Section) 138?”

Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act makes dishonour of cheques a punishable offence.

Yadav’s counsel said he brought a demand draft (DD) for Rs 25 lakh to court.

The court listed the matter for the next hearing on April 1 and extended the suspension of the sentence till then.

The court’s proceedings came on revision petitions by Yadav and his wife challenging a 2019 decision of a sessions court, which upheld their conviction by a magisterial court here in the cheque-bounce cases in April 2018.

The magisterial court had sentenced him to undergo six months’ imprisonment.

In June 2024, the high court had temporarily suspended his conviction, subject to his adopting “sincere and genuine measures” to explore the possibility of reaching an amicable settlement with the opposite party.

At that time, Yadav’s counsel had said it was a genuine transaction to finance the production of a movie, which bombed at the box office, resulting in huge financial losses.

In the order passed on February 2, while directing him to surrender by 4 pm on February 4, the court had observed that Yadav’s conduct deserved to be deprecated as he repeatedly breached his undertakings to the court to repay the amount to the complainant M/s Murali Projects Pvt Ltd.

The court had noted that Yadav was required to make a payment of Rs 1.35 crore in each of the seven cases against him and directed that the amount already deposited with the Registrar General of the high court be released in favour of the complainant.

In October 2025, two DDs of Rs 75 lakh were deposited with the Registrar General and an amount of Rs 9 crore remained payable, it noted in the order.

On February 4, the court refused to extend the deadline given to Yadav to surrender before jail authorities.

On February 16, the court suspended the sentence till March 18 after noting that Yadav deposited Rs 1.5 crore in the bank account of complainant M/s Murali Projects Pvt Ltd.