A decade after television actor Pratyusha Banerjee died by suicide, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday discharged her then-boyfriend, actor-producer Rahul Raj Singh, from the suicide abetment case.
Allowing Singh’s discharge application, a single-judge bench of Justice Shivkumar Dige cleared him of all charges under Section 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code. The ruling overturns an August 2023 order by the Dindoshi sessions court, which had previously rejected his plea.
Pratyusha Banerjee, best known for her iconic lead role in the hit television drama Balika Vadhu, was found dead in her Goregaon West apartment on April 1, 2016. Following a complaint filed by her mother, Bangur Nagar police booked Singh for allegedly abetting her suicide. He was granted anticipatory bail in July 2016, and police filed a formal chargesheet two years later in April 2018.
Defense Relies on Final Phone Call Transcript
In his petition filed through advocate Shreyansh Mithare, Singh argued that the charges were baseless and that he had no role or intent in forcing Banerjee to take her own life.
The defense presented transcripts of the final telephonic conversation between the couple recorded on the day of the incident. In the recording, Singh is heard trying to console an upset Banerjee and assuring her that he loved her and was on his way home.
”The last conversation clearly shows that he was trying to console her and repeatedly telling her that he loved her and was coming home. This was important to show that there was no intention on his part to abet her suicide,” advocate Mithare stated, adding that continuing the trial without a suicide note or concrete evidence would constitute an abuse of process.
Dispute Over Family and Financial Factors
While Banerjee’s mother had previously alleged that Singh was an abusive, possessive partner who controlled her daughter financially and distanced her from her family, Singh’s legal team presented a contrasting narrative.
Singh claimed the couple was planning to marry in December 2016, but Banerjee was under immense mental strain due to “constant interference” and financial demands from her parents. The defense noted that Banerjee was an established, financially independent professional who had full liberty to end the relationship if she wished, yet chose to continue living with him.
With the High Court’s ruling, legal proceedings against Rahul Raj Singh in connection with Banerjee’s death have effectively come to an end.
