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Pratyusha Banerjee, best known for playing Anandi in the popular television show Balika Vadhu, died by suicide at her rented residence in Goregaon West, Mumbai, on April 1, 2016.
Rahul Raj Singh Discharged In Pratyusha Banerjee Suicide Case
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday, September 30, discharged actor-producer Rahul Raj Singh from the 2016 case concerning the alleged abetment of television actress Pratyusha Banerjee’s suicide. Singh, who was Banerjee’s then-boyfriend, had been booked for allegedly abetting her death.
Rahul Raj Singh acquitted in Pratyusha Banerjee’s suicide case
Pratyusha Banerjee, best known for playing Anandi in the popular television show Balika Vadhu, died by suicide at her rented residence in Goregaon West, Mumbai, on April 1, 2016. Following her death, Rahul Raj Singh was booked under charges including abetment of suicide, assault and criminal intimidation. He was granted anticipatory bail by the Bombay High Court on July 2, 2016. After the Bangur Nagar Police filed a chargesheet in April 2018, Singh approached the Dindoshi Sessions Court seeking discharge from the case. His plea was rejected in August 2023, following which he challenged the order before the Bombay High Court.
A key piece of evidence considered by a single-judge bench of Justice Shivkumar G Dige of the Bombay High Court was the couple’s final recorded phone conversation on April 1, 2016, shortly before Banerjee’s death. According to the court’s observations, the conversation showed Singh trying to stop Banerjee from taking any drastic step. He also told her that he had turned his car around and was heading back to meet her.
The conversation also captured Banerjee speaking about the circumstances surrounding her distress and referring to several people, including her parents. Singh’s lawyers relied on the exchange to argue that the call did not establish a case of abetment against him. According to his lawyers, Aabad Ponda and Shreyans Mithare, the final conversation suggested that Banerjee held several people, including her parents, responsible for the circumstances that had led to her distress. The defence also questioned the registration of the FIR, pointing out that no suicide note had been recovered. They argued that allowing the prosecution to proceed against Singh would amount to an “abuse of the process” of law.
The Bombay High Court allowed Singh’s revision plea and discharged him from the case. The court said its detailed order would be made available separately.
October 01, 2026, 08:33 IST
