Moments before Rajpal Yadav surrendered in a Rs 9 crore cheque-bounce case, he made an emotional confession where he admitted that he was going through a financial crunch and had no one to turn to for help. In a show of solidarity, actor Sonu Sood stepped in to offer him help.
In a post on X and Instagram Stories, Sood stressed that the move was not charity but a gesture of professional support.
What did Sonu Sood say?
In his post on X on Tuesday, Sood offered a film to Yadav along with a "small signing amount".
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"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," he said.
Sood also urged the industry to stand together and come out to help Rajpal Yadav as he was going through the "tough phase".
"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 added.
Additionally, Sood said, "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."
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,…
— sonu sood (@SonuSood) February 10, 2026
About Rajpal Yadav's legal issues
It all began in 2010 when Rajpal took a loan of Rs 5 crore from Delhi-based Murali Projects Pvt Ltd for his first directorial venture 'Ata Patta Lapatta' (2012). The movie flopped and led to Rajpal being unable to pay back Murali Projects, thus resulting in a law suit.
In April 2018, Rajpal and his wife were found guilty under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act (bouncing a cheque) and sentenced to six months of simple imprisonment. Rajpal had issued seven cheques to the complainant that were bounced. The conviction was upheld by the trial court in 2019.
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The actor had hoped to find respite from his legal issues after attempting to file a revision petition with the Delhi High Court, however, the situation just got worse than it already was.
In June 2024, the actor received temporary relief when the court suspended his sentence and ordered him to take "sincere and genuine measures" to pay the remaining balance of almost Rs 9 crore due. However, this was followed by numerous missed due dates and misleading contracts. As of October 2025, the actor had deposited Rs 75 lakh through two demand drafts. However, the majority due amount still remained outstanding.
This month, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma ordered the surrender of Rajpal Yadav, explaining that the court cannot continually extend relief to any individual, despite their public persona. On February 4, 2026, the court rejected a last-minute "mercy plea" by his counsel to obtain a one-week extension to pay the fine. The judge noted that Rajpal had previously defaulted on at least 20 separate occasions on the same terms.
On February 5, 2026, the counsel for actor Rajpal presented a cheque in the amount of Rs 25 lakh along with a new payment proposal before the court. However, the judge declined to reverse the order of surrender. Rajpal surrendered to the Tihar authorities at 4 pm on February 5 to serve his sex-month imprisonment.
