Pratyusha Banerjee death: Fearing arrest, Rahul Raj moves anticipatory bail plea

MUMBAI: Actor-producer Rahul Raj Singh, against whom a case has been lodged for abetment of his girlfriend and TV star Pratyusha Banerjee's suicide, today filed an anticipatory bail application at the Dindoshi sessions court here, which will be considered tomorrow.

After Rahul's new lawyer Ashok Sarogi moved the application, the matter was adjourned for the day and and has been posted for hearing tomorrow.

The development came hours after Rahul's previous lawyer Neeraj Gupta withdrew from the case, saying he was "kept in the dark" about the details pertaining to the case.

"I withdrew from the case on humanitarian grounds. I felt that I shouldn't be fighting the case, and hence left it be so that injustice is not done to anyone," Gupta told PTI today.

"A client should pass on all the information, right or wrong, good or bad, to the lawyer, but I was kept in the dark and got all the details (pertaining to the case) from outside (media)," Gupta claimed.

Asked if he changed his mind after the FIR was filed against Rahul, he said, "The FIR has nothing to do with the decision. A lawyer is always prepared for such things."



Pratyusha Banerjee with Rahul Raj Singh in happier times (Image: Instagram)


Rahul, currently in hospital, was yesterday booked for the abetment of suicide after police registered an FIR based on a complaint filed by the actress's mother Soma at Bangurnagar Police Station.

A case under IPC sections 306 (abetment of suicide), 504, 506 (criminal intimidation), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of IPC has been registered against Rahul.

Police has, however, declined to divulge details regarding the investigation that led to registration of the FIR. They suspect that Rahul was in relationship with another woman about which the deceased was depressed.

Meanwhile, doctors attending on Rahul, who has been in hospital since Sunday morning, said that "he still has suicidal tendencies."

"I cannot leave him now because he can do anything. He is still on medication and becomes violent when effect of medicine wanes," Dr Santosh Goel, said, adding that he is under depression and at times calls out to Pratyusha.



Also read: Pratyusha Banerjee death: Rahul's lawyer withdraws from case, says family withheld information

Also read: Rahul Raj Singh used to beat and abuse Pratyusha Banerjee: FIR