Actor Rajpal Yadav, who brought smiles to crores of faces with his comic timing, had tears in his eyes on Thursday. After not getting any relief from the Delhi High Court in the check bounce case of around Rs 2.5 crore, the actor surrendered in Tihar Jail on 5 February 2026. The words spoken by him just before going to jail shocked everyone. Hours after the Delhi High Court rejected his last plea seeking more time to arrange funds, his long legal battle over his 2010 directorial venture ‘Aata Pata Lapata’ ended.
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The case had been following Yadav for several years and reached a turning point last week, when the court made it clear that no further extension would be granted. With no relief, the actor reached jail in the afternoon to serve his sentence, bringing the case back into public focus.
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Rajpal Yadav’s emotional moment before surrendering
It is reported that moments before surrendering, Rajpal Yadav gave an emotional statement, which shows how much pressure this case has put on him. According to News
What is Rajpal Yadav’s legal case about?
The dispute dates back to 2010, when Rajpal Yadav had borrowed Rs 5 crore from Murali Projects Pvt Ltd for his film, Ata Pata Lapata. The film flopped at the box office, leaving the actor in dire straits, making it even more difficult to repay the loan. Later, many checks given for payment bounced, leading to legal action under the Negotiable Instruments Act.
In April 2018, a magistrate court convicted Yadav and his wife under section 138 of the Act and sentenced them to six months in jail. Yadav challenged the decision through several appeals, but the case continued for several years. During this period, the outstanding amount is said to have increased to around Rs 9 crore, while some payments were made, including Rs 75 lakh due in 2025.
The court finally came down hard on the repeated delays and missed deadlines, saying there was a lack of seriousness in resolving the case. On February 4, 2026, Justice Swarn Kanta Sharma rejected Yadav’s last plea for a week’s extension to arrange funds, saying leniency cannot be granted repeatedly despite his public status. The court directed the actor to surrender without any further delay.
Rajpal Yadav surrendered in Tihar Jail at around 4 pm on Thursday evening to serve his six-month sentence. The funds already deposited in the court have been released to the complaining company.