Bombay HC discharges Rahul Raj Singh in Pratyusha Banerjee suicide case

The Bombay High Court has discharged actor-producer Rahul Raj Singh in the decade-old case concerning the alleged abetment of television actor Pratyusha Banerjee’s suicide.

Justice S.G. Dige passed the order on Wednesday, bringing a major development in the case that dates back to 2016. Singh had been accused under provisions including abetment of suicide, criminal intimidation and assault.

The court considered submissions regarding recorded conversations between Singh and Banerjee, including their final conversation, which his lawyers argued showed him attempting to dissuade her from taking any drastic step. The defence also highlighted the absence of a suicide note.

Banerjee, known for her role as Anandi in ‘Balika Vadhu’, died at her Mumbai residence on 1 April 2016, aged 24. Her mother subsequently filed a complaint alleging that Singh’s alleged harassment had driven her daughter to suicide.

Singh’s discharge plea had previously been rejected by a sessions court in 2023, following which he approached the Bombay High Court.