After the court granted temporary relief to actor Rajpal Yadav, businessman Madhav Gopal Agrawal, who had loaned the principal amount of Rs 5 crore to finance Yadav's 2012 film Ata Pata Laapata, spoke to the media about the long-running dispute that has continued for 14 years.
On Tuesday, Yadav was released from Tihar Jail after the Delhi High Court granted him interim bail in the cheque bounce case. After completing the required release formalities, the actor walked out of jail and briefly spoke to the media, thanking the court for granting him relief.
What Did Agrawal Say?
In an interview to news portal News Pinch, Agrawal said that during the starting phase of the case, he went to the actor's house and “cried in front of him like a child” because the money he had loaned was itself borrowed from others. He said he persistently requested the actor to provide a date for drafting a fresh agreement, but the issue remained unresolved.
Agrawal, who is the proprietor of M/s Murali Projects Pvt Ltd, said he met Yadav through MP Mithilesh Kumar Katheria. Agrawal said that Yadav told him that the film (Ata Pata Laapata) was almost complete and without funding “everything would go to waste”.
When Agrawal initially refused to lend money, Yadav's wife Radha Yadav sent emotional messages requesting help, after which he agreed to provide the loan. Agrawal said the agreement clearly stated that repayment would not depend on the film's success or failure, censor certification, or any other factor, and the full amount had to be returned on time.
He claimed Yadav also gave a personal guarantee. He clarified that the money was a loan, not an investment, since investments do not usually involve personal guarantees or cheques. When repayment did not happen on time, Agrawal contacted Yadav, who told him he did not have funds.
Agrawal said three supplementary agreements were later made and new cheques were issued.
He further said that when megastar Amitabh Bachchan launched the film's music at an event, he learned that, as per the agreement, the film negatives and money were supposed to be handed over after completion. He then approached the court and obtained a stay on the film's release. According to Agrawal, Yadav told him repayment would only be possible after the release.
He also stated that after he agreed to a settlement and got the stay removed, the film failed at the box office. He also said that, "in 2013, he again moved the court. After court intervention, a settlement amount of Rs 10.40 crore was decided." He said several cheques deposited by Yadav were dishonoured, after which the legal proceedings continued.
Agrawal told News Pinch that, “he is a businessman and only wants his money back.”
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