MUMBAI -- In a new twist to the case of alleged suicide of TV actress Pratyusha Banerjee, her friends yesterday claimed that her boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh "cheated on her" and used to "slap" her in public as well as in parties.
The 24-year-old former Balika Vadhu star was found dead at her home in suburban Goregoan on 1 April, in a suspected case of suicide.
In a joint press conference, her friends Kamya Punjabi and Vikas Gupta claimed Rahul was cheating on her and that they were in a "messy relationship".
"Some days ago she called me and said Rahul is cheating on her. Three-four days ago, when I got a call in Delhi, I told her I'll come and sort out everything. She said she can't live like this anymore and wanted to get out of this relationship. She said she needed help," Kamya claimed.
"I told her we will meet on 4 April, if she wants, she can stay at my place. Then she called our common friend Leena and said 'I want to fight back'," she added.
Gupta, who is a producer, claimed Pratyusha did not want to "give up" on the relationship.
"She was in a messy relationship. She didn't want to come out of it thinking 'I don't want people to think I am in a relationship and now I am getting out of it'. She didn't want to give up," he claimed.
Gupta also claimed Rahul's ex-girlfriend Saloni Sharma allegedly used to assault Pratyusha in his absence.
"Saloni Sharma used to visit her and assault her. She used to give threats to Pratyusha because of which she was disturbed too. When Pratyusha used to tell Rahul about this, he used to switch off his phone and not visit her," he further claimed.
"Pratyusha wanted to file a case against Rahul. She called a lawyer and then she wanted to speak to her (lawyer) the day the incident took place. On the very same day, she had an appointment with the lawyer and she had told many things about Rahul and finances and wanted to seek legal advice. Pratyusha wanted help legally because she was getting tortured someway or the other," her lawyer in the suicide case Falguni Brahmabath, who was also at the presser, alleged.
Kamya and Vikas also claimed that Rahul used to "slap" Pratyusha in public as well as in parties and many of her friends had witnessed it.
Kamya and Vikas said they are ready to give statement to police in this regard but they have not been called yet.
Police on Saturday recorded Rahul's statement in connection with the case.
Rahul was hospitalised yesterday after he complained of breathing problems.
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