The Supreme Court on Tuesday (September 15) granted actor Rajpal Yadav a final opportunity of two weeks to present a concrete proposal for clearing his outstanding dues to a private firm in multiple cheque-bounce cases. The court also directed him to deposit Rs 2 crore with the apex court registry.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant and comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana reportedly extended Yadav's exemption from surrendering until October 5. The matter will be heard next on the same date.
During the hearing, the bench expressed concern over Yadav's conduct and said earlier directions had not been complied with. "He is perfect at doing drama but this court. Earlier orders of the court have not been complied with," the bench said. However, the court decided to give him one final opportunity.
Appearing for Yadav, senior advocate PS Patwalia sought two weeks to submit a concrete proposal for clearing the outstanding amount. He also told the court that Yadav would deposit Rs 2 crore as a demonstration of his bona fides.
Patwalia further submitted that the actor had already spent four-and-a-half months in prison and that his friends from the entertainment industry would have to help him arrange the money.
Senior advocate Ajit Sinha, representing the complainant, M/s Murali Projects Pvt Ltd, told the court that the company was primarily concerned about recovering its money, stating that Yadav had failed to honour his commitments.
What Is The Cheque-Bounce Case Against Yadav?
The dispute relates to financial assistance of Rs 5 crore allegedly provided to Yadav for a film in 2010. According to the complainant, Yadav subsequently tendered seven cheques of Rs 1.05 crore each in 2013 as part of a settlement. The cheques were allegedly dishonoured.
The complainant further claimed that an agreement entered into by the parties in 2012 required Yadav, his wife Radha Rajpal Yadav and their company to repay around Rs 11 crore, including interest.
The matter has been in court for several years. In April 2018, a magisterial court convicted Yadav in the cheque-bounce cases and sentenced him to six months in prison. The sentence was later reduced to three months by a sessions court in 2019, which upheld his conviction.
On July 10, the Delhi High Court upheld Yadav's conviction in the seven cheque-bounce cases and sentenced him to three months' imprisonment.
The High Court directed Yadav to pay more than Rs 1 crore to the complainant in each of the seven cases. It clarified that around Rs 2 crore already paid by the actor would be adjusted against the amount.
Yadav's wife, Radha Rajpal Yadav, was also directed to pay a fine of around Rs 5.5 lakh to the complainant in each case. In case of default, she would face simple imprisonment for three months.
On September 8, the Supreme Court had issued notice on Yadav's plea and granted him exemption from surrendering subject to a Rs 5 crore deposit with the court registry. The latest order now gives him two weeks to present a concrete payment proposal, with the court directing him to deposit Rs 2 crore.
