On Monday, the Bombay High Court granted anticipatory bail to actor-producer Rahul Raj Singh, accused of abetting the suicide of his girlfriend, television actress Pratyusha Banerjee.
Justice Mridula Bhatkar also heard a three-and-half minute audio clip of the last telephone conversation between Rahul Raj and Pratyusha, an hour before she hanged herself at her suburban home on 1 April.
Mid-Day Mumbai published part of the transcripts of the last call made by Pratyusha to Rahul.
You cheater, tumne mujhe cheat kiya hai, mujhe mere maa baap se alag kar diya, ab dekho main kya karne ja rahi hoon (You cheater, you cheated on me, you created a rift between parents and me, now see what I do).Excerpt of Pratyusha’s last phone conversation with Rahul
What happened? I will talk to you once I reach home, I am on the way; till I reach, don’t do anything.Excerpt of Pratyusha’s last phone conversation with Rahul
Granting anticipatory bail, Justice Bhatkar observed that there was no prima facie evidence to show that the accused “instigated or intended” the suicide.
The court directed Rahul Raj to appear three times a week for two weeks at the Bangur Nagar police station, which is investigating the case.
The investigations are presently revolving around 306 of IPC (abetment) and 302 of IPC (murder). We suspect Rahul had much more to do than abetment but only his custodial interrogation can tell us more.Nilesh Pawaskar, Special Public Prosecutor
If you have evidence, why don’t you register a murder case against Rahul? Why do you need his custodial interrogation to register a murder case? Don’t you register murder cases when the accused is absconding? If you register a murder case, I will look at the matter from another point of view and will not grant Rahul bail or any relief.Justice Bhatkar
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Justice Bhatkar further observed that from witness statements, it was clear that harassment and disputes existed between them – Rahul Raj and Pratyusha – but there was nothing prima facie on record to show abetment.
She said harassment or dispute could be a reason for a person to dislike the other person and take steps to end his/her life, but for proving the abetment, there should be evidence to show instigation, provocation and intention.
The court ruled that after perusing all the facts in the case, police could investigate it without any custodial interrogation of the accused (Rahul Raj).
Arguing for pre-arrest bail, Rahul Raj’s lawyer Abaad Ponda said both he and Pratyusha were happy with each other and had partied together the night before she committed suicide.
(With inputs from IANS.)
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