Supreme Court gives Rajpal Yadav two weeks to deposit Rs 2 crore in loan dispute

The Supreme Court has granted actor Rajpal Yadav a final two-week window to deposit at least Rs 2 crore in connection with a long-running financial dispute with a private complainant. The order came after his counsel assured the bench that the amount would be paid within the stipulated period, along with a surety for the remaining sum.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant expressed scepticism about Yadav's earlier conduct in the matter. The Chief Justice remarked that past behaviour made it difficult to place trust in the actor, observing that Yadav was skilled at drama and acting in Bollywood and was doing the same in court.

Speaking to the media after the hearing, advocate Bhaskar Upadhyay, who represents Yadav, welcomed the order. He said the court had initially sought Rs 5 crore and had now reduced the requirement to Rs 2 crore, calling it a great relief. He added that the actor's team would comply with the court's orders and directions.

The court has also continued the protection granted to Yadav against arrest until the next hearing, scheduled for October 5. It has, however, directed him to surrender his passport.

The dispute traces back to 2010, when Yadav borrowed around Rs 5 crore from a Delhi-based company to finance his first film as a director, 'Ata Pata Laapata.' The comedy did not perform well at the box office and reportedly failed to recover its costs, leaving Yadav struggling to repay the loan. With interest and other charges accumulating over the years, the unpaid amount is said to have reached nearly Rs 9 crore. The matter later led to a cheque bounce case against the actor. The present proceedings relate to the claim made by the private complainant, the owner of Murali Productions.