Bollywood Actor Rajpal Yadav Calls for Prison Reform in India After Release from Tihar Jail

Bollywood actor Rajpal Yadav was released from Tihar Jail on Tuesday after the Delhi High Court granted him interim bail in an ongoing cheque bounce case. A day earlier, the court had provided him temporary relief till March 18, allowing him to step out of jail. Soon after his release, the actor spoke to the media and used the moment to highlight a larger issue - the need for prison reform in India. During an interaction with PTI, Rajpal urged authorities to modernise jail facilities and focus more on rehabilitation. “I have an appeal. In our country, we don’t know the difference between a prisoner and a respectable person. But I have noticed that jails need to be upgraded for today’s time,” he said. VIDEO | Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh: Actor Rajpal Yadav says, "... We often don’t know who is truly a criminal and who is respectable. But I have noticed one thing: wherever people are being punished, our prisons should also be upgraded for modern times. For example, there are…pic.twitter.com/otbalgEa25 The actor also reflected on the condition of long-term inmates, pointing out that several prisoners continue to remain behind bars for years after conviction. “There are prisoners who have already been convicted who don’t need to go to court and have been there for 10 years due to a mistake they made. Their behaviour and conduct have been observed over time,” he stated. Drawing an analogy from Amitabh Bachchan's popular quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati, Rajpal added, “At least 10 per cent of them, like how we have lifelines on Kaun Banega Crorepati, these prisoners deserve lifelines. If 10 per cent of them are released and rehabilitated, they could be a strength for our country. And if they don’t change, the law spares nobody.” According to reports, the court approved his interim bail after Rajpal deposited Rs 1.5 crore into the complainant’s bank account, complying with an earlier directive. As part of the conditions, he has been asked to surrender his passport and has been barred from leaving the country without prior permission. Yadav had surrendered on February 5 after the High Court dismissed his last-minute plea seeking additional time in the cheque bounce and loan default matter. Earlier, the court had ordered him to serve a six-month sentence, observing repeated non-compliance with its prior directives. The case dates back to 2010 and is linked to alleged unpaid dues that reportedly escalated to nearly Rs 9 crore following the collapse of his production venture, Ata Pata Laapata. During this period, Yadav reportedly received support from several members of the film fraternity. Actors such as Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn and Varun Dhawan, along with filmmaker David Dhawan, are said to have reached out. Singers Guru Randhawa, Mika Singh and Anup Jalota have also publicly extended financial help. Earlier, Sonu Sood reportedly offered him a role in his upcoming film along with a signing amount. Others, including politician Tej Pratap Yadav, Kamaal R Khan and music producer Rao Inderjeet Singh, have also pledged assistance.