SC rejects plea to cancel bail of Pratyusha's boyfriend

The Supreme court on Monday declined a plea by mother of late actress Pratyusha Banerjee seeking cancellation of anticipatory bail of Rahul Raj Singh, accused of abetment to suicide of the "Balika Vadhu" star.

Rahul, whom Soma Banerjee wanted to be investigated for murder of her daughter, was granted anticipatory bail by the Bombay High Court on April 25.

A vacation bench of Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Justice Amitava Roy dismissed Banerjee's plea as withdrawn as it noted that there was no suicide note and the last conversation between Pratyusha and Rahul shows that even though they accuse each other, they also express "intense love" for each other.

If there is an absence of suicide note, the conversation reveals a "loving bond", the bench told counsel for Banerjee who said that only a custodial interrogation of Rahul can reveal the truth of her daughter's death.

Not accepting the plea for cancellation of anticipatory bail, the bench said that the preliminary investigation points to abetment of suicide and the probe was still in progress.

Urged that only custodial interrogation can establish the charge of murder, the bench, not impressed, asked if Maharashtra Police has filed any application challenging the grant of anticipatory bail and on being told they had not, dismissed the plea.

Rahul, who is alleged to had a live-in relationship with Pratyusha, has been booked under Section 306 (abetment of suicide), Section 504, Section 506 (criminal intimidation), and Section 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code.

Police acted against Rahul following complaint by the deceased actress's parents.

Prosecution has alleged that on the day, Pratyusha committed suicide, he had left her Kandivili flat at around 3.30 p.m. and thereafter at 3.43 p.m., there was a call which lasted for about three and half minutes.

The Bombay High Court, before granting Rahul anticipatory bail, had heard the conversation after the public prosecutor had told it that the actress had allegedly hinted about her intention to commit suicide during the call.

--IANS

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