NEW DELHI: Bollywood actor Rajpal Yadav faced a strong reprimand from India’s Supreme Court on Monday after he failed to comply with an order to deposit money in a long-running cheque-bounce case.
The case involves unpaid dues owed to private company M/s Murali Projects Pvt Ltd.
During the hearing, Justice Joymalya Bagchi warned Yadav’s lawyer that the actor could face jail if he continued to disregard court orders.
Court Orders Yadav to Deposit Rs2 Crore
The Supreme Court had ordered Yadav on September 15 to deposit Rs2 crore with the court registry.
It also gave him two weeks to submit a concrete proposal to settle the outstanding amount.
However, the required payment had not been deposited by Monday’s hearing.
Yadav’s lawyer argued that the complainant company was financially well-off. The argument angered the bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana.
“They may be richer than you, but they are poor to the extent you have swindled them,” Justice Bagchi said.
He also criticised what he described as arrogance during the proceedings and warned the actor’s lawyer about the consequences of continued non-compliance.
Court Rejects Rs50 Lakh Payment Attempt
Yadav’s lawyer presented a demand draft worth Rs50 lakh during the hearing.
He told the court that the bank was processing the payment.
The bench, however, remained unconvinced.
“Is this genuine or not? We don’t know,” the court observed.
Senior advocate Ajit Sinha, representing M/s Murali Projects Pvt Ltd, also accused Yadav of repeatedly disobeying court orders.
“He is a film actor. He is acting here also. He has no respect for the majesty of the institution,” Sinha said.
The court ordered Yadav to make the required payment by Tuesday.
The matter will return before the bench on Wednesday.
Dispute Dates Back to 2010
The case stems from a financial dispute dating back to 2010.
According to M/s Murali Projects Pvt Ltd, the company provided Yadav with Rs5 crore for a film project that year.
The company claims that Yadav, his wife and their business later agreed to repay nearly Rs11 crore, including interest, under a 2012 agreement.
In 2013, seven cheques worth Rs1.05 crore each were issued towards the outstanding amount.
The cheques were allegedly dishonoured, leading to the legal dispute.
Supreme Court Gives Yadav Another Chance
The Supreme Court has heard the case several times in recent weeks.
On September 8, the court issued a notice following Yadav’s request and exempted him from surrendering, subject to a condition that he deposit Rs5 crore with the registrar.
When the case came up again on September 15, the court ordered him to deposit Rs2 crore and gave him another opportunity to present a payment plan.
The court also allowed him to remain out of custody until October 5.
Yadav’s lawyer had told the court that the payment would demonstrate his bona fides.
However, the promised amount had still not been deposited by Monday.
The bench said it could dismiss Yadav’s appeal but was reluctant to do so because that could make it harder for the complainant company to recover its money.
The court has now given the actor until Tuesday to make the payment before considering the matter again on Wednesday.
