Archive · 1 Oct 2026
Bombay High Court Discharges Rahul Raj Singh in Banerjee Case
The Bombay High Court ended the case against Rahul Raj Singh before a trial.
Singh had been accused of helping cause television actor Pratyusha Banerjee’s suicide.
Banerjee was famous for playing Anandi in the show Balika Vadhu.
She died at her rented home in Goregaon on April 1, 2016.
Her family had accused Singh of harassment and abuse.
Singh’s lawyers showed the court a recording of the couple’s last conversation.
They said Singh tried to stop her from taking an extreme step and was traveling to meet her.
They also said he tried to save her and take her to a hospital.
The court ruled that the material did not establish a case of abetment, so Singh will not face trial.
The Bombay High Court discharged Rahul Raj Singh from the case alleging he abetted actor Pratyusha Banerjee’s suicide.
Banerjee, known for playing Anandi in Balika Vadhu, died at her rented Goregaon apartment on April 1, 2016.
The court considered the couple’s final recorded conversation, in which Singh reportedly tried to dissuade her from taking an extreme step.
Singh’s lawyers argued that the evidence did not establish abetment and cited his alleged efforts to rescue her and take her to a hospital.
The ruling followed a 2018 police chargesheet and an earlier rejection of Singh’s discharge plea by the sessions court.
- Who
- The Bombay High Court, Rahul Raj Singh, Pratyusha Banerjee, and Banerjee’s parents were central to the case.
- What
- The High Court discharged Singh from the case alleging abetment of Banerjee’s suicide.
- When
- Banerjee died on April 1, 2016; Singh received anticipatory bail in July 2016; police filed a chargesheet in 2018; and the High Court ruled on September 30, 2026.
- Where
- Banerjee died at her rented apartment in Goregaon, Mumbai; the ruling was issued by the Bombay High Court.
- Why
- The court held that the material on record did not make out the legal ingredients of abetment.
Singh’s Defence
Banerjee’s Family’s Allegations
Whether abetment was established
Singh’s Defence
Singh’s lawyers argued that the final conversation showed him trying to dissuade Banerjee from taking an extreme step, so the legal ingredients of abetment were not established.
Banerjee’s Family’s Allegations
Banerjee’s parents alleged that Singh’s physical, emotional, and financial harassment pushed her toward suicide.
What happened after Banerjee was found
Singh’s Defence
The defence said Singh tried to save Banerjee, including by administering mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and taking her to a hospital, citing statements from a neighbour and a key maker.
Banerjee’s Family’s Allegations
The reports present these rescue efforts as the defence’s claims and do not provide a separate prosecution response.
Whether the case should proceed to trial
Singh’s Defence
Singh’s lawyers questioned the haste of the FIR’s registration and the absence of a suicide note, arguing that continuing the prosecution would abuse the process of law.
Banerjee’s Family’s Allegations
Police registered an FIR and filed a chargesheet, and the sessions court had earlier rejected Singh’s discharge plea and ordered that the case proceed.
- Court decision
- The Bombay High Court discharged Rahul Raj Singh at the pre-trial stage, meaning he will not face trial in the case.
- Banerjee’s death
- Pratyusha Banerjee died at her rented apartment in Goregaon on April 1, 2016, at age 24.
- Accusations
- Banerjee’s parents alleged that Singh harassed or abused her and that this contributed to her suicide.
- Key evidence
- The court considered the couple’s final recorded conversation, in which Singh appeared to discourage Banerjee from taking an extreme step.
- Police case
- Bangur Nagar Police filed a chargesheet in 2018; the FIR included allegations of abetment, assault, and criminal intimidation.
- Earlier proceedings
- The High Court granted Singh anticipatory bail in July 2016, while the sessions court later rejected his discharge plea.
- Reported terminology
- Most reports describe the outcome as a discharge before trial, although one report used the term “acquitted.”
Sources
Pratyusha Banerjee suicide case: HC discharges ex-boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh from abetment case
Bombay HC Discharges Rahul Raj Singh In Pratyusha Banerjee Suicide Abetment Case
Pratyusha Banerjee Suicide Case: Balika Vadhu Actress' Ex-BF Rahul Raj Singh Discharged By Bombay HC After 10 Years
Bombay HC discharges Rahul Raj Singh in 2016 Pratyusha Banerjee suicide case
Pratyusha Banerjee Suicide Case: HC Discharges Ex-Boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh From Abetment Case
