Actress Pratyusha Banerjee died by suicide because of boyfriend Rahul Raj's conduct: Sessions Court

In an order pronounced on August 14 by the Sessions Court in the Pratyusha Banerjee suicide case, it observed the actress died by suicide because of boyfriend Rahul Raj’s conduct. “She had expressed her desire not to live further on account of the same to her aunt Barnali Banerjee and the tarot card reader,” SJ Ansari, additional sessions judge, said in his order, rejecting the plea to discharge Raj. “The pitiable condition to which the deceased had been reduced to by the accused can scarcely be imagined,” the judge added.

Banerjee died by suicide on April 1, 2016 and Raj was booked under abetment to suicide.

Timeline of the events

Sunil Mukhya, who was employed as a cook at Pratyusha’s neighbour’s house saw Rahul Raj outside the flat with a keymaker; Rahul told Mukhya that Pratyusha wasn’t opening the door. Mukhya then offered to enter the flat through the neighbouring balcony. He has told police that when he entered the flat, he saw the actress hanging from the ceiling fan. He then opened the door to the flat, letting Rahul in, and then helped the latter rush Pratyusha to the hospital.

Over Saturday and Sunday, 2-3 April, the police questioned Rahul Raj Singh, although they said that it was too early to suspect any foul play in Pratyusha’s death. On Saturday evening, Pratyusha’s last rites were carried out at the Oshiwara crematorium. Reports state that she was “dressed like a bride” for her cremation. Colleagues from the TV industry attended the funeral.

By Sunday evening, Rahul complained of chest pain, and was hospitalised. His lawyer Neeraj Gupta told the press that the actor-producer was in a “very fragile” condition and has been traumatised by Pratyusha’s death. In the meantime, police had carried out a search of the fat he shared with Pratyusha in Malad, and in which the actress’ body had been found. They reported finding a large quantity of medicines, alcohol and cigarette stubs, adding that doctors are helping determine what the medications were for, and whether or not they were prescribed to Pratyusha for depression.