Days after walking out of Tihar Jail on interim bail, Rajpal Yadav has made headlines again — this time for urging prison authorities to introduce designated smoking areas inside jails.
The actor, who was granted relief by the Delhi High Court till March 18 in the ₹9 crore cheque-bounce case, spoke to the media from his ancestral village in Shahjahanpur district.
“Jails Should Be Reform Centres”
According to PTI, Rajpal suggested that prisons should have designated smoking zones, similar to facilities available at railway stations and airports.
He emphasised that jails must function as reform centres where inmates are given structured opportunities to improve themselves. At the same time, he added that the law remains supreme for those unwilling to reform.
“It is often difficult to judge from the outside who is a hardened criminal and who made a one-time mistake,” Rajpal reportedly said, adding that his advocate Bhaskar Upadhyay would address legal questions officially.
The actor also mentioned he would refrain from speaking to the media for two days due to a family wedding and would later hold a press conference.
Bail Till March 18
Rajpal was granted interim bail after depositing ₹1.5 crore against the bounced cheque amount in the account of the complainant, M/S Murli Project. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma approved the bail, subject to a ₹1 lakh bond and one surety.
He is expected to repay the remaining dues before the next hearing on March 18 to avoid serving his sentence.
Earlier, Rajpal thanked the nation and members of the film industry for standing by him during the legal battle. He stated that whenever summoned by the High Court in connection with the case dating back to 2012, he has appeared as required.
Support From Bollywood
In recent days, several industry names, including Sonu Sood and Mika Singh, publicly extended support to the actor.
While the legal proceedings continue, Rajpal’s comments about prison reforms have added a new dimension to the conversation — shifting attention briefly from the financial dispute to broader questions about inmate welfare.
Final Words
Rajpal Yadav’s interim bail offers him temporary relief in a case that has stretched over a decade. But his call for designated smoking areas inside prisons has sparked fresh debate.
As the March 18 hearing approaches, the focus will return to whether he can settle the remaining dues. Until then, the actor remains out on bail — and very much in the headlines.
