Bollywood actor Rajpal Yadav, known for his comic roles, surrendered before the Tihar Jail Superintendent on February 5. Delhi High Court Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma criticized the actor for his failure to comply with the court’s order of surrender on February 4.
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Rajpal Yadav Surrenders After Delhi High Court Refused to Extend the Deadline
Rajpal Yadav reportedly surrendered before the Tihar jail authorities on Thursday, February 5, at 4:00 PM, following a legal setback in Delhi. His surrender came a day late from the surrender deadline of February 4.
On February 2, 2026, the Delhi High Court ordered Yadav to surrender, rejecting his plea to extend the deadline. As the court upheld its order, it stated that the law rewards obedience, not contempt, before adding that it cannot create special circumstances for people.
“This Court cannot be expected to show or create special circumstances for any person merely because such a person belongs to a particular background or industry,” the bench said.
Why is Rajpal Yadav Going to Jail?
Rajpal Yadav is going to jail in the case involving a ₹5 crore loan he took in 2010 from a Delhi-based company, Murli Projects Pvt Ltd. The loan was to fund his directorial debut film, Ata Pata Laapata, and he agreed to return ₹8 crore (loan plus interest).
However, he failed to repay the loan even after it was modified to ₹7 crore. The case escalated after he submitted seven cheques issued towards the payment, which bounced due to insufficient funds.
As a result, on February 2, 2026, the Delhi High Court ordered Yadav to make a payment of ₹1.35 crore in each of the seven cases against him. The court noted that the actor had repeatedly breached legal undertakings to repay the amount despite being given multiple opportunities to settle the debt.
Reportedly, two demand drafts of ₹75 lakh were deposited with the Registrar General in October 2025. However, crores remained payable, the court noted in the order.
Cheque Bounce Case Timeline
The cheque bounce case started in 2010, when Yadav took the ₹5 crore loan from Murli Projects. After he failed to pay the loan, a case was registered, leading to him spending 4 days in jail in 2013.
Five years later, in 2018, the magistrate’s court convicted Yadav and his wife. He received a sentence of 6 months. In 2019, the Delhi sessions court upheld the conviction.
In June 2024, the High Court temporarily suspended the sentence and suggested a settlement between the two parties. In October 2025, Yadav deposited ₹75 lakh, but failed to pay the agreed balance of ₹9 crore.
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Due to the continued breaches, the HC ordered Yadav to surrender (by Feb 4) on February 2. Yet he missed the deadline, claiming to be busy with “arranging funds,” and was unable to reach Delhi by 4 pm.
On February 5, he reportedly surrendered at Tihar Jail at 4:00 PM, after the court rejected his final “mercy plea.”
| Year/Date | Event |
| 2010 | Yadav takes a ₹5 crore loan from Murli Projects |
| 2013 | He spent 4 days in jail for filing a false affidavit during the recovery suit. |
| 2018 | A magisterial court sentences him to 6 months in jail. |
| 2019 | A Delhi sessions court upholds the conviction; Yadav continues to appeal. |
| June 2024 | The High Court temporarily suspends the sentence to allow for a settlement. |
| Oct 2025 | Yadav deposits ₹75 lakh, but fails to pay the remaining balance (in crores) |
| Feb 2, 2026 | HC slams Yadav for “repeated breaches” and orders him to surrender by Feb 4. |
| Feb 4, 2026 | Yadav misses the deadline, claiming he was “arranging funds.” |
| Feb 5, 2026 | Surrender: After the court rejects a final “mercy plea,” Yadav surrenders at Tihar Jail at 4:00 PM. |
Prison Sentence and What’s Next?
Rajpal Yadav has been sentenced to six months of simple imprisonment on the conviction under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act (Cheque Bounce).
The court clarified that Yadav had multiple opportunities to repay the debt. Yet he breached legal undertakings, so it will not hear any further applications for relief or settlement until he begins serving his term.
His legal team can file a fresh application for suspension of sentence once he’s in custody. However, they will first have to present a concrete and immediate plan to clear the remaining dues.