In a setback for Bollywood’s beloved funnyman Rajpal Yadav, the Delhi High Court on Thursday rejected his bail application in the protracted cheque bounce case linked to his failed film project. Locked up in Tihar Jail, Yadav’s hopes for attending his niece’s wedding in Shahjahanpur were dashed as the court issued notices to complainant Murlidhar Projects Private Limited.
The actor’s counsel, Bhaskar Upadhyay, revealed post-hearing that the plea was postponed to allow the other side time to reply. ‘I’ll visit Rajpal in jail to get precise directives on repayment. He’s always acknowledged the Rs 5 crore loan for ‘Ata Pata Lapata’ and even past settlement talks fell through when the lender backed out,’ he stated.
Flashback to 2010: Desperate to fund his directorial debut, Yadav borrowed nearly Rs 5 crore from the company. The movie tanked at the box office, triggering a chain of bounced cheques and a case under NI Act Section 138. Despite leniency from lower courts, repeated payment delays led to his surrender order on February 4.
Upadhyay noted that Yadav has endured three months in custody already, with half the amount—Rs 2.5 crore—cleared. The matter, rooted in a 2012 pact, now heads to February 16 for what could be a decisive verdict.
This episode raises questions about opaque funding in independent filmmaking. Who loaned the money? Upadhyay dodged, calling it a ‘family affair.’ As the gavel looms, Yadav’s fans ponder if comedy’s king will trade jail bars for wedding baraat celebrations soon.