New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave actor Rajpal Yadav time until October 13 to deposit the remaining ₹85 lakh towards a ₹2 crore payment ordered in his long-running cheque-bounce case, while warning him that stricter action could follow if he failed to comply.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, noted that Yadav had deposited ₹1.15 crore through a demand draft.

The court directed him to arrange the remaining ₹85 lakh by October 13. His petition challenging his conviction and three-month sentence will be considered after the payment is made.

The bench expressed dissatisfaction with his conduct but gave him what it described as “breathing time” after noting the ₹1.15 crore payment.

The court also warned that it could consider enhancing his punishment to up to two years' imprisonment.

“Make a good movie and entertain people”

During the hearing, Yadav spoke about the financial losses he claimed to have suffered following his 2010 film Ata Pata Laapata. He said the film's release was stalled and claimed that he had suffered substantial losses.

The CJI responded: “Make a good movie and entertain people again; that will help rebuild your image.”

The actor also told the court that he had worked in around 200 to 250 films and discussed the professional and reputational impact of the case.

At one point, Yadav revealed that he had thought of naming a film based on his legal ordeal Solah Sawan Jhel Ke, referring to the period from 2010 to 2026.

How the legal dispute began

The case relates to a 2010 financial arrangement under which Yadav received ₹5 crore from Murli Projects Pvt Ltd for his film Ata Pata Laapata.

The complainant alleged that Yadav later issued seven cheques of ₹1.05 crore each towards settlement of the financial liability, but the cheques were dishonoured.

The dispute resulted in multiple cheque-bounce complaints and a series of proceedings before lower courts, the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court.

The magistrate convicted Yadav in 2018 and sentenced him to six months' imprisonment. The sentence was later reduced to three months by the sessions court.

What the Delhi High Court ruled

On July 10, the Delhi High Court upheld Yadav's conviction and three-month sentence. It also refused to condone what it described as an “extraordinary” delay of 1,894 days in filing petitions challenging the conviction.

The High Court directed Yadav to make payments to the complainant in each of the seven cases, while adjusting around ₹2 crore already paid.

The Supreme Court subsequently admitted Yadav's challenge and granted him temporary exemption from surrendering, subject to compliance with its payment directions.

What happens next

The Supreme Court has now posted the matter for hearing next week. Yadav is required to deposit the remaining ₹85 lakh by October 13 to comply with the latest direction.

The court has also indicated that failure to comply could have serious consequences, including consideration of a higher sentence.

The immediate issue before the Supreme Court is Yadav's compliance with the financial condition imposed while his challenge to the conviction remains pending. His payment of ₹1.15 crore has secured additional time, but the court has made clear that the remaining ₹85 lakh must be deposited before the next hearing.

The broader dispute concerns financial obligations arising from the production of Ata Pata Laapata and multiple dishonoured cheques. The Supreme Court's eventual decision will determine the next stage of Yadav's challenge to his conviction and sentence.