Mumbai: Rajpal Yadav… the name known in Bollywood for his unmatched comic timing and art of making people laugh, is today in Tihar jail due to a serious case. The matter is not new, but is to a 15 year old film, whose failure completely changed his life.

What is the whole matter?

In the year 2010, Rajpal Yadav made his directorial debut film ‘Ata Pata Lapata’ (2012). For this film, he had taken a loan of about Rs 5 crore from Delhi-based Murali Projects Private Limited. Unfortunately the film flopped miserably at the box office. Due to lack of income, there was difficulty in repaying the loan and the matter started.

The checks given to repay the loan bounced. The complainant filed a case under the Negotiable Instruments Act (Section 138). In April 2018, the Magistrate Court convicted Rajpal Yadav and his wife Radha Yadav and sentenced them to 6 months simple imprisonment. In 2019, the Sessions Court also upheld this decision.

Got some relief from the High Court, but…

Rajpal appealed in the Delhi High Court. In June 2024, the court temporarily suspended his sentence and gave him a chance to repay the outstanding amount. But during this period, after adding interest and other charges, the outstanding amount increased to about Rs 9 crore.

The court gave time several times, but Rajpal could not make the full payment within the stipulated time. By October 2025, he deposited only Rs 75 lakh through two demand drafts. The court found that a huge amount was still outstanding.

Court’s strict remarks and final decision

On February 4, 2026, Justice Swarn Kanta Sharma made a strong comment and said that despite being a celebrity, one cannot be shown leniency again and again. Rajpal asked for one more week’s extension, but the court rejected his petition. The judge noted that Rajpal had not fulfilled his promises about 20 times in the last several years.

The next day, on 5 February 2026, Rajpal’s lawyer presented a new check of Rs 25 lakh and a payment schedule, but the court refused to withdraw the surrender order. Rajpal Yadav surrendered in Tihar Jail at around 4 pm the same evening.

Emotional statement before surrender in jail

Just before surrendering in Tihar Jail, Rajpal Yadav said very emotionally about his financial crisis: “I have no money. There is no one to help. I have to face this problem alone.”

He also said that no one supports you in difficult times in the film industry. When asked why he did not seek help from friends or people like Priyadarshan, his reply was – “Everyone is alone here.”

What is the way forward?

Rajpal Yadav has been sentenced to 6 months simple imprisonment. They can appeal for parole or bail even while in jail, but for now they will have to serve their sentence.

This case once again exposes the bitter truth of celebrity life – where deep financial and mental problems are often hidden behind the external shine. Rajpal Yadav’s fans and film industry are now wishing for his coming out soon.