Rajpal Yadav terms ₹9 crore debt and cheque bounce case an ‘ego clash’, interrupted mid-statement by lawyer

Rajpal Yadav has been in the spotlight after being sent to Tihar Jail in connection with a ₹9 crore debt and cheque bounce case.

The actor was later granted interim bail and released on February 16. Addressing the controversy, he has now claimed that the financial arrangement at the centre of the dispute was purely verbal and based on trust, describing it as a “ghar ka maamla” (a personal matter).

Rajpal Yadav on the money deal

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Rajpal opened up about the legal battle and other aspects of his life. He maintained that the agreement was informal and rooted in personal trust, adding that he had promised to return ₹8 crore after the film’s release. According to him, no lawyer was involved at the time the deal was struck.

“When the deal happened, Bhaskar ji (my lawyer) wasn’t in the picture. I have worked in over 250 films. If I revisit those contracts, each one would have some loophole. I never imagined this matter would reach court. This fight is about ego. The person wants me to fall at his feet in exchange for ₹5 crore. If it were only about money, I have been ready to pay since 2013. The money first came to me, and I blindly signed papers at the Laxmi Nagar office without reading them. That was my mistake,” he said.

He further explained that he avoided legal involvement because he saw it as a personal understanding. “Sometimes you trust relationships more than paperwork. I thought, if someone with a net worth between ₹1,000 and ₹1,500 crore could transfer ₹5 crore within minutes of a phone call, why would he ever file a case against me? Not even my wife knew about it. The agreement was that after the film’s release, he would get ₹8 crore instead of ₹5 crore, and the remaining profits would be mine. But the film earned only ₹1 crore…”

Before he could continue, his lawyer interjected, saying, “If trusting that man was a mistake, then Rajpal Yadav has indeed made that mistake.”

About the case

The dispute dates back to 2010, when Rajpal borrowed ₹5 crore from Delhi-based Murali Projects Pvt Ltd to finance his directorial debut, Ata Pata Laapata (2012). After the film failed at the box office, repayment issues escalated into a legal battle. In April 2018, a magisterial court convicted him and his wife Radha under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act after seven cheques issued to the complainant bounced. He was sentenced to six months’ simple imprisonment — a verdict later upheld by a sessions court in early 2019.

By October 2025, although Yadav had deposited ₹75 lakh via demand drafts, the court observed that most of the outstanding amount remained unpaid.

Last month, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma directed the actor to surrender, stating that leniency cannot be extended indefinitely, regardless of celebrity status. On February 4, 2026, the court rejected his plea seeking a one-week extension to arrange funds, noting he had failed to honour nearly 20 previous undertakings.

Rajpal surrendered at Tihar Jail on February 5 after the Delhi High Court declined to grant further time in the long-pending cheque bounce cases. However, the High Court later granted him interim bail until March 18, subject to a ₹1 lakh bail bond and one surety.

On the professional front, Rajpal is set to appear next in Bhooth Bangla.