Sonu Sood backs Rajpal Yadav, urges film industry to support him amid ₹2.5 cr cheque bounce case: ‘Not charity…’

Bollywood actor Sonu Sood extended support to actor-comedian Rajpal Yadav for his multiple cheque bounce cases. Yadav surrendered at Delhi’s Tihar Jail on Thursday after a court order in the case involving around ₹2.5 crore. Amid this, Sood urged everyone in the film industry to help Yadav not with ‘charity’ but with small signing amounts against future projects.

Sonu Sood requests help for Rajpal Yadav

Sonu Sood took to his X account, formerly Twitter, and wrote, “Rajpal Yadav is a gifted actor who has given years of unforgettable work to our industry. Sometimes life turns unfair, not because of talent, but because timing can be brutal. He will be part of my film, and I believe this is the moment for all of us..producers, directors, colleagues to stand together.”

“A small signing amount, adjustable against future work, is not charity, it’s dignity. When one of our own is going through a tough phase, the industry must remind him he’s not alone. This is how we show we are more than just an industry,” he requested monetary help from peers.

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Why was Rajpal Yadav told to surrender?

Rajpal Yadav was told to surrender after the Delhi High Court rejected his final plea for more time to arrange funds in the cheque bounce case.

The direction emerges from a long-running legal battle linked to Rajpal Yadav's 2010 directorial debut Ata Pata Laapata.

Reportedly, Yadav repeatedly failed to meet court-mandated repayment deadlines in the case worth approximately ₹2.5 crore, part of a larger liability that grew over time.

According to a report by News X, Yadav broke down while addressing the situation before surrendering. He was quoted as saying, “Sir, kya karoon? Mere paas paise nahin hain. Aur koi upaay nahin dikhta… Sir, yahan hum sab akele hain. There are no friends. I have to deal with this crisis on my own. (Sir, what should I do? I don’t have the money. I see no other way… Sir, here we are all alone.)”

Rajpal Yadav case explained

The legal dispute dates back to 2010, when Yadav borrowed ₹5 crore from Murali Projects Pvt Ltd to fund his film Ata Pata Laapata. The film failed to recover the investments due to poor box office response in 2012, severely impacting the actor financially. After several cheques issued towards repayment of the loan were subsequently dishonoured, a legal case was filed under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act.

In April 2018, a magistrate’s court convicted Yadav and his wife in the case, sentencing them to six months of jail. The actor challenged the verdict, and the matter continued for years, during which the outstanding amount reportedly swelled to nearly ₹9 crore due to interest and penalties.

The Delhi High Court, at various stages, granted Yadav opportunities to clear the dues. In June 2024, his sentence was temporarily suspended, with the court urging him to take “exemplary steps” to resolve the issue. Although Yadav deposited ₹75 lakh in 2025, the court noted that most of the liability remained unpaid, causing repeated breaches of payment.

On 4 February 2026, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma dismissed Yadav’s last plea seeking a one-week extension to arrange funds. The court mentioned nearly 20 unfulfilled assurances were made earlier.

Despite proposing a new payment plan, the court refused to recall the surrender order. Yadav subsequently surrendered at Tihar Jail at around 4 pm. He will be serving his six-month sentence.