Delhi High Court Upholds Rajpal Yadav’s Conviction in Seven Cheque Bounce Cases, Sentences Him to Three Months’ Jail

July 10, 2026 : The Delhi High Court on Friday upheld the conviction of Bollywood actor Rajpal Yadav in seven cheque dishonour cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, holding that he had repeatedly failed to honour settlement commitments and undertakings given before the Court despite being granted multiple opportunities over the course of the proceedings.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma dismissed a batch of criminal revision petitions and connected criminal miscellaneous petitions arising from seven cheque bounce complaints filed by M/s Murli Projects Private Limited against the actor.

The High Court sentenced Yadav to three months’ simple imprisonment in each of the seven cases, directing that all the sentences would run concurrently. In addition, the Court ordered him to pay Rs 1.05 crore as compensation in each case to the complainant company. His wife, Radha Rajpal Yadav, was also directed to pay more than Rs 5 lakh in each case towards the financial liability arising from the proceedings.

Conviction Upheld After Reviewing Trial Court Findings

Affirming the conviction recorded by the trial court and upheld by the Sessions Court, the High Court held that the courts below had properly appreciated the evidence on record. It observed that the Sessions Court had already taken into consideration the payments made by Yadav during settlement discussions while determining the compensation and fine.

Finding no illegality, perversity or procedural infirmity in the judgments of the lower courts, the High Court declined to interfere with the conviction.

Court Cites Repeated Breach of Settlement Undertakings

The judgment noted that an earlier Bench of the High Court had suspended Yadav’s sentence after he expressed willingness to amicably resolve the dispute. The matter was referred to the Delhi High Court Mediation and Conciliation Centre to facilitate a negotiated settlement.

However, despite repeated assurances, extensions and adjournments granted by the Court, Yadav failed to adhere to the agreed payment schedule. Justice Sharma observed that both the actor and his counsel had repeatedly represented that the settlement amount would be paid, but those commitments remained unfulfilled.

The Court concluded that the repeated breach of undertakings given before the Court could not be ignored and that continued judicial indulgence was no longer justified.

Payments Already Made to Be Adjusted

While confirming the compensation awarded, the Court noted that substantial amounts had already been paid to the complainant during the litigation.

According to the judgment, approximately Rs 2.25 crore had been deposited and released to the complainant company, while earlier proceedings recorded aggregate payments exceeding Rs 4 crore. The Court clarified that all payments already received would be adjusted while calculating the balance compensation and fine payable under the final judgment.

Background of the Dispute

The litigation originated from a Sessions Court judgment delivered in May 2024, which convicted Rajpal Yadav in the cheque dishonour cases and sentenced him to six months’ imprisonment. Challenging that decision, Yadav approached the Delhi High Court seeking suspension of sentence and setting aside of his conviction.

Initially, the High Court granted interim suspension of sentence based on his assurance that the dispute would be settled through payment. However, as the actor repeatedly failed to comply with court directions, the Court took a stricter view.

In February 2026, the High Court directed Yadav to surrender before the Jail Superintendent after finding that he had failed to deposit amounts that he had undertaken to pay, including Rs 2.5 crore sought to be cleared in instalments. His request for additional time to surrender was also rejected, with the Court observing that no special treatment could be extended merely because an individual belonged to the film industry.

Yadav eventually surrendered on February 5, 2026, and remained in custody until the High Court granted interim suspension of sentence after he deposited Rs 1.5 crore with the complainant company. The Court, however, found that he subsequently defaulted on the remaining settlement obligations despite repeated opportunities.

Two Months’ Time to Approach Supreme Court

Holding that the actor’s conduct warranted serious disapproval, the High Court upheld the conviction, sentence and compensation awarded in all seven cheque dishonour cases. At the same time, the Court granted Rajpal Yadav two months’ time to avail of his legal remedies and challenge the judgment before the Supreme Court.