Pratyusha Banerjee's parents demand re-investigation of case

Parents of actress Pratyusha Banerjee, who was found dead on April 1 in Mumbai, have sought re-investigation of her alleged suicide.

A purported transcript of Pratyusha's last telephonic conversation with her boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh has reportedly come out, suggesting that the police might have overlooked several key aspects of the case related to the Balika Vadhu actress' death.

"We have decided to take the next step and now we want either the crime branch or the CBI to investigate this case. For that purpose, we have given a written application to the sessions court," Neeraj Gupta, the advocate for Pratyusha's parents, told IANS.

Gupta said the police has not been co-operative and has supported Singh to destroy some evidence.

"There is some conspiracy that's going on. The police has not been co-operative with us at all. They have supported Rahul to destroy some evidence which was very crucial for our case. I have raised so many issues, but it all went unanswered."

"So now we have decided to not go through the local police and have demanded for a re-investigation. We now want the crime branch to investigate this matter," Gupta added.

Pratyusha, known for her role of adult Anandi in the serial Balika Vadhu, was found hanging from a ceiling fan at her Goregaon residence. She was taken to the hospital where she was declared dead on arrival.

Singh has been accused of abetting her suicide. He has not taken kindly to a media report accusing him of forcing Pratyusha into prostitution, and referred to his last conversation with Pratyusha that has come out.

He says that according to the transcript of the last phone call, " she (Pratyusha) is clearly blaming her parents for pushing her into prostitution and spoiling her name".

"At one point she can also be heard saying that she actually doubts her parentage. If you will read my part, I can be clearly heard reassuring her not to take all this seriously and to even file a case against her family for tarnishing her name," he said.