New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has ordered Bollywood actor Rajpal Yadav to surrender before the concerned Jail Superintendent by 4 p.m. on February 4 in connection with multiple cheque dishonour cases. The direction was issued after the court took a serious view of his repeated failure to comply with settlement commitments despite being granted several opportunities.
A single-judge Bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma criticised the actor’s conduct, observing that despite repeatedly giving assurances and seeking the court’s indulgence, he failed to comply with orders passed from time to time. The court was hearing a batch of petitions filed by Yadav and his wife challenging their conviction and sentence under the Negotiable Instruments Act.
The High Court noted that although “considerable leniency” had been shown over an extended period, the settlement amount was not paid in accordance with the undertakings given to the court. Stating that there was no justification to continue extending indulgence, the court remarked that the actor had repeatedly breached commitments made before it.
Justice Sharma also recorded that the sentence awarded by the trial court had been suspended on June 28, 2024, after the petitioners expressed willingness to amicably settle the dispute with the complainant company, and the matter was even referred to mediation. However, no payment was made for nearly a year despite assurances and specific timelines fixed by the court.
While directing that the amount already deposited with the Registrar General be released to the complainant company, the court granted limited relief by allowing time until February 4 for surrender, accepting the submission that the actor was currently engaged in professional work in Mumbai.
The matter has been listed on February 5 for compliance by the concerned jail authorities.
With inputs from IANS