Delhi HC refuses to recall direction to actor Rajpal Yadav to surrender in cheque bounce cases
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court on Thursday refused to recall its direction to actor Rajpal Yadav to surrender before jail authorities in connection with his conviction in cheque bounce cases, saying it cannot be expected to "create special circumstances" on account of his background or industry.
While recording her "strong disapproval", Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma directed Yadav to surrender immediately and observed that his failure to surrender on February 4 despite court orders reflected scant respect for law.
Yadav's senior counsel made a "mercy plea" to the court to recall its earlier order to enable him to arrange money to repay the complainant M/s Murali Projects Pvt Ltd.
The counsel said that Yadav could not comply with the direction to surrender on February 4 at 4 pm as he was trying to arrange the money and reached Delhi at 5 pm.
Law rewards its compliance and not its contempt, the court remarked, as it opined that recalling its earlier direction would send a message that its orders could be disregarded repeatedly without any consequences.
"This Court cannot be expected to show or create special circumstances for any person merely because such a person belongs to a particular background or industry.. Leniency, though sometimes necessary, cannot be extended endlessly, especially when it is met with continued non-compliance," said the court.
"In these circumstances, this Court finds no merit in the plea of the counsel for the petitioner to recall its order directing surrender of the petitioner before the Jail Superintendent, Tihar. He is directed to surrender the Jail Superintendent, Tihar, immediately today," it ordered.
Yadav physically appeared before the court for the proceedings.
His senior lawyer said he was ready to pay a demand draft of Rs 25 lakh to the complainant and also adhere to a payment schedule.
The court's proceedings came on revision petitions by Yadav and his wife challenging a 2019 decision of a sessions court, which upheld their conviction by a magisterial court here in the cheque-bounce cases in April 2018.
In June 2024, the high court had temporarily suspended his conviction, subject to him adopting "sincere and genuine measures" to explore the possibility of reaching an amicable settlement with the opposite party.
The magisterial court had sentenced him to undergo six months' imprisonment.
At that time, Yadav's counsel had said it was a genuine transaction to finance the production of a movie, which bombed at the box office, resulting in huge financial losses.
In the order passed on February 2, while directing him to surrender by 4 pm on February 4, the high court had observed that Yadav's conduct deserved to be deprecated as he repeatedly breached his undertakings to the court to repay the amount to the complainant M/s Murali Projects Pvt Ltd.
The court had noted that Yadav was required to make payment of Rs 1.35 crore in each of the seven cases against him and directed that the amount already deposited with the Registrar General of the high court be released in favour of the complainant.
In October 2025, two demand drafts of Rs 75 lakh were deposited with the Registrar General and an amount of Rs 9 crore remained payable, it noted in the order.
On February 4, the court had refused to extend the deadline given to Yadav to surrender before jail authorities.
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Riyan Parag likely to be fined 25 percent of match fees for vaping inside dressing room
New Delhi (PTI): Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag is set to be fined 25 per cent of his match fee for bringing the game into "disrepute" after being caught vaping on camera during the IPL game against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur.
Parag's actions during the Royals' chase on Tuesday night drew condemnation on social media.
PTI has learned that on field umpires Tanmay Srivastava and Nitin Menon had not reported the matter to match referee Amit Sharma right after the game. They only did that after seeing visual proof and Sharma found Parag guilty for a code of conduct breach as per the IPL guidelines.
The Level 1 offences carries 25 per cent deduction from match fees and one demerit point.
"He is set to be fined a portion of his match fees and a demerit point for a Level 1 offence," said an IPL source.
The Indian government had banned e-cigarettes back in 2019, prohibiting their production, sale and distribution. As per the law, the offender faces imprisonment up to one year and/or a Rs one lakh fine for a first time offence.
"Article 2.21 of IPL Code of Conduct is intended to cover all types of conduct that bring the game into disrepute and which is not specifically and adequately covered by the specific offences set out elsewhere in this Code of Conduct, including Article 2.20," the IPL Code of Conduct states.
"By way of example, Article 2.21 may (depending upon the seriousness and context of the breach) prohibit, without limitation, the following: (a) public acts of misconduct; (b) unruly public behaviour; and (c) inappropriate comments which are detrimental to the interests of the game.
"When assessing the seriousness of the offence, the context of the particular situation, and whether it was deliberate, reckless, negligent, avoidable and/or accidental, shall be considered.
"Further, the person lodging the Report shall determine where on the range of severity the conduct lays (with the range of severity starting at conduct of a minor nature (and hence a Level 1 Offence) up to conduct of an extremely serious nature (and hence a Level 4 Offence)."
Since it is a Level 1 offence there was no need for a hearing.
Parag, who has not had the best of times with the bat this IPL, was seen inhaling an e-cigarette, also known as vaping, in the dressing room during the live broadcast of their game against Punjab Kings. Royals won the game to end Kings' unbeaten run in the tournament.
This is not the first controversy to hit the Royals this season. Earlier this month, team manager Romi Bhinder was fined Rs one lakh for breaching PMOA protocol after being found using his phone in the dugout.
IPL and BCCI officials involved in the conduct of the IPL termed it as a careless act in the age of social media and prying TV cameras.
Royals next host Delhi Capitals at home on Friday night.
