Pratyusha Banerjee suicide: Anti-social elements maligning our image, says Rahul's father to CM

Mumbai: Father of television actor Rahul Raj Singh, who is accused of abetting the suicide of actress Pratyusha Banerjee, has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis alleging that some "anti-social elements" are trying to "tarnish" his family's image and harm his son's career.

Interestingly, Pratyusha's parents had also written to Fadnavis a few days back seeking a probe by the crime branch into the death of their daughter.

The 'Balika Badhu' fame actress was found hanging at her residence in suburban Goregaon on April 1. She was then rushed by Rahul to a hospital in Andheri where she was declared dead.

"I have written to CM that I am a son of a freedom fighter, who was in jail for nine years for independence of our country. But a few anti-social elements are trying to malign the image of my family. They don't want reality to come to fore," Rahul's father Harshvardhan Singh told PTI today.

He said he had shot off a letter to the CM on April 16. "My son is unwell and if tomorrow he tries to harm himself who will be answerable for that," Singh questioned.

When asked who he was referring to as "anti-social", Singh said, "A person has died....Some people, with their make up on, display a fan in media while others are lying blatantly.

"They say Rahul has a son. If he (Rahul) has a son, then bring him to police station, show him on TV and get DNA test done. These people are trying to distort the facts, mislead (the investigation) and spoil Rahul's career..This is also a kind of murder".

He said the elements he was referring to are trying to malign the image of their family. "By lying in media they are trying to malign the image of a family. Who can be the bigger anti-social elements than these people," Singh asked.

He said his son still gets upset and that it will take the latter some time to "become normal again". "Rahul was in love with Pratyusha and was going to marry her. He is very sentimental and gets upset at times. It will take him some time to become normal again," he said.

In her letter, the actress' mother had alleged that Rahul has been threatening them and the witnesses. "The death of my daughter is being coloured and portrayed as a suicide committed due to depression," the letter had stated.