New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday upheld actor Rajpal Yadav’s conviction in cheque bounce cases, dismissing his petitions challenging the trial court’s verdict.
The court also imposed a combined penalty of Rs 7.35 crore on the actor.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma termed Rajpal Yadav’s conduct “dubious”, observing that he was given multiple opportunities to repay the amount but repeatedly failed to honour his commitments.
The High Court granted Rajpal Yadav two months to challenge its order in the Supreme Court.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 1.05 crore in each of the seven cases, totalling Rs 7.35 crore. As per the court’s directive, Rs 1.04 crore will be paid to the complainant and Rs 25,000 to the state in each case.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma pronounced the judgment in a batch of criminal miscellaneous petitions and criminal revision petitions arising out of proceedings under the Negotiable Instruments Act.
The actor had been granted interim suspension of sentence by the Delhi High Court, which continued to remain in operation during the pendency of the proceedings.
The petitions have been filed by Rajpal Yadav against M/s Murli Projects Pvt Ltd and another, challenging the orders passed by the trial court in multiple cheque dishonour cases.
Earlier, the High Court had extended the interim suspension of sentence granted to Rajpal Yadav after observing that the actor had already made substantial payments to the complainant company.
During the hearing, counsel appearing for Yadav had informed the Delhi High Court that around Rs 4.25 crore had already been paid to M/s Murli Projects Pvt Ltd, including a demand draft of Rs 25 lakh handed over before the court. Observing that the actor had already made substantial payments, Justice Sharma had orally remarked that the court was not inclined to send him back to jail at that stage.
The High Court had also declined to vacate its earlier order suspending Yadav’s sentence despite an application filed by the complainant seeking cancellation of the interim relief.
“He is not running away. He is still here… If the money has to come to you, it will come,” the Delhi High Court had observed, while clarifying that the actor must either honour the settlement or contest the case on the merits.
Earlier, in February, the High Court had directed Rajpal Yadav to surrender before the concerned Jail Superintendent after taking a stern view of his repeated failure to honour settlement commitments despite being granted several opportunities.
Justice Sharma had then observed that despite “considerable leniency”, the actor had repeatedly breached undertakings given to the court and failed to comply with payment timelines fixed from time to time.
Subsequently, the actor was granted an interim suspension of sentence after depositing part of the settlement amount, paving the way for his release from jail while the High Court continued hearing the main petitions. Rajpal Yadav was convicted and sentenced in 2024 in multiple cheque dishonour cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act.
(IANS)
