The Supreme Court has put a hard number and a hard date on Rajpal Yadav’s cheque-bounce case: ₹2 crore, payable by October 13. The bench made it clear that the actor’s challenge to a High Court order will get a hearing only after the amount is deposited.
Rajpal Yadav was present in court on Wednesday, and he came with a ₹1.15 crore demand draft. His counsel told the court that the registry could not process an RTGS payment, so the draft was brought instead. The remaining ₹85 lakh is expected through a buyer of the actor’s property, who was also present. The court recorded the arrangement and set the October 13 deadline for the balance.
The film behind the dispute
The case goes back to the 2012 film Ata Pata Laapata. An alleged loan extended by Murli Projects Pvt Ltd in 2010 became the subject of the dispute. Seven repayment cheques of ₹1.05 crore each were later dishonoured, and Yadav himself has placed the connected liability at ₹5 crore. In court, he spoke of the heavier toll: losses of around ₹200-250 crore from the film.
A sharp remark from the bench
The Chief Justice of India borrowed the film’s title to make a point about accountability. “Like your movie, your money is also Ata Pata Laapata, gayab,” he remarked. The bench also criticised Yadav’s conduct and warned that the sentence could be enhanced if the situation is not remedied.
Yadav responded with a respectful “Pranam karta hoon,” and the CJI advised him to make a good film and entertain people. In a lighter moment, he added that the advocates appearing before the Supreme Court were also good actors and could be cast in his films.
What the actor says now
Speaking to the media after the hearing, Rajpal Yadav drew a line between borrowing and making movies. “Loans aren’t taken out for films. You take a loan to build a house or buy land, not to make movies. It’s either a package deal or an investment,” he said. He added that he respects the country, the Supreme Court and the judiciary, and that he would accept whatever decision is reached.
What to watch next
- Deadline: October 13, for the remaining ₹85 lakh to reach the court.
- Already in place: A ₹1.15 crore demand draft.
- Stakes: The court may hear his plea after payment, but has warned that the sentence could be enhanced.
For celebrity-watchers, the story is less about a film flop and more about paperwork, deadlines and legal consequences that outlast a release date. The next update is likely to land once the property-linked payment is confirmed.
Source: Hindustan Times
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