Mumbai: A decade after television actor Pratyusha Banerjee’s death, her former boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh has been discharged from the case in which he was accused of abetting her suicide.
The Balika Vadhu actor was found dead at her rented residence in Mumbai’s Goregaon area on April 1, 2016. Her death was treated as suicide.
Singh, who was in a relationship with Banerjee at the time, was booked for allegedly abetting her suicide. He was granted anticipatory bail by the Bombay High Court in July 2016.
Following the filing of the chargesheet in 2018, Singh approached the sessions court seeking discharge from the case. After his plea was rejected, he moved the Bombay High Court.
Justice Shivkumar Dige’s bench placed significant emphasis on the couple’s final phone conversation, recorded on April 1, 2016, shortly before Banerjee’s death.
According to the court’s observations, the conversation indicated that Singh had tried to dissuade Banerjee from taking an extreme step. He also told her that he had turned his car around and was on his way to meet her.
The conversation suggested that Banerjee was distressed and spoke about several people, including her parents, while discussing her circumstances.
Following Banerjee’s death, her parents accused Singh of abetting her suicide and alleged that she had been subjected to physical and mental harassment as well as assault during their live-in relationship.
Singh’s legal team, represented by senior advocate Aabad Ponda and advocate Shreyansh Mithare, argued that the final conversation showed him attempting to prevent Banerjee from taking any drastic step while he was travelling to her apartment.
The defence maintained that the conversation did not establish the necessary grounds for a charge of abetment to suicide against Singh.
His lawyers also pointed out that Banerjee had spoken about several people, including her parents, during the call.
The lawyers further questioned the registration of the FIR in the absence of a suicide note and argued that allowing the proceedings to continue would amount to an “abuse of process”.
The Bombay High Court allowed Singh’s plea and discharged him from the case, meaning he will not face trial in connection with Banerjee’s death.
