Maid: TV Star's Mom Told Me To Watch Over Her
Nitasha Natu (THE TIMES OF INDIA; April 10, 2016)
While her bank balance was hefty, TV actor Pratyusha Banerjee frequently borrowed small sums of money from her house help for buying medicines or to hire a cab, said Renu Sinha, who worked as help for Pratyusha for three months and lived in the same house.
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In her police statement, Sinha said she had seen bruises suffered by the actor after fights with fiancé Rahul Raj Singh. Booked on abetment charges, Singh remains hospitalized and is in depression, according to doctors treating him. “I grew close to Pratyusha after her mother was packed away from Mumbai as Rahul did not like the latter's presence in the house. Pratyusha's mother had asked me to keep an eye on her daughter. She used to call me 'didi',“ said Sinha. “At odd hours in the night, I used to hear the couple argue loudly in its room. I wanted to rescue Pratyusha but didn't know if it was right to interfere in a private matter between them. Whenever Rahul left home, I would coax Pratyusha into telling me everything. She spoke of Rahul accusing her of having an affair with her former boyfriend,“ added Sinha.
The house help had suggested to Pratyusha on a number of occasions that she walk out of the relationship. “Pratyusha hailed from a middle-class family in Jamshedpur and she believed that her broken relationships would bring disrepute to her family. I would tell her to take control of her finances and ask Rahul to return her passbooks and debit card. But she said she couldn't do it for so me reason,“ Sinha said.
Pratyusha used to cook and clean for Rahul as she was in love with him. “I was also a witness to the incident where Rahul's ex-girlfriend stormed into the flat and hit the couple, raining choicest of abuses,“ said Sinha. “Pratyusha gradually learnt of Rahul's past, including his previous marriage. She was terrorized by Rahul. He wouldn't let her do things she loved like eating out and watching movies. He kept postponing plans to tie the knot with her,“ said Sinha.The househelp also raised a doubt over someone as petite as Pratyusha being able to reach the ceiling fan to tie a noose when there was no stool in the house.
Speaking to mediapersons, Raj Baria, a driver who worked for Rahul, said his former girlfriend was present at Kokilaben Ambani Hospital on the night that Pratyusha's body was wheeled in. “She was the first to disappear from the hospital, followed by Rahul. He also switched off his cellphone,“ Baria said. According to the driver, Rahul had slapped Pratyusha at a mall on one occasion.
Actor had confided in aunt about boyfriend beating her up, shown her injury marks
Bangur Nagar police on Saturday recorded three statements in connection with TV actor Pratyusha Banerjee's suicide case. Pratyusha's aunt, Barnali, who was also her confidante, reached the police station along with the actress's father. Barnali recounted to the police how Pratyusha had visited her Ambernath residence in January and showed her injuries sustained from Rahul's beatings.
Pratyusha had stayed with her aunt for a couple of days and Barnali had suggested that she separate from Rahul. Barnali had also informed Pratyusha's parents about the goings-on. Barnali was in touch with Pratyusha on phone. Pratyusha had complained to her aunt in February as well as in March about Rahul.
Meanwhile, Pratyusha's father has told the police that there may be foul play involved in his daughter's death. He suspects that she was sedated, killed and then hanged. He also suspects that the reason for the change in her behaviour over the past few months was the result of drugs that were administered to her.
Besides Barnali, a real estate agent and a theatre actor recorded their statements. The real estate agent told police that Pratyusha was in touch with him ever since she arrived in Mumbai. He would help her look for properties to rent for herself. He said the actress did not seem to have any monetary problems. The theatre actor told the cops that he was Pratyusha's family friend and that she appeared upset over the past few months.
In her police statement, Sinha said she had seen bruises suffered by the actor after fights with fiancé Rahul Raj Singh. Booked on abetment charges, Singh remains hospitalized and is in depression, according to doctors treating him. “I grew close to Pratyusha after her mother was packed away from Mumbai as Rahul did not like the latter's presence in the house. Pratyusha's mother had asked me to keep an eye on her daughter. She used to call me 'didi',“ said Sinha. “At odd hours in the night, I used to hear the couple argue loudly in its room. I wanted to rescue Pratyusha but didn't know if it was right to interfere in a private matter between them. Whenever Rahul left home, I would coax Pratyusha into telling me everything. She spoke of Rahul accusing her of having an affair with her former boyfriend,“ added Sinha.The house help had suggested to Pratyusha on a number of occasions that she walk out of the relationship. “Pratyusha hailed from a middle-class family in Jamshedpur and she believed that her broken relationships would bring disrepute to her family. I would tell her to take control of her finances and ask Rahul to return her passbooks and debit card. But she said she couldn't do it for so me reason,“ Sinha said.
Pratyusha used to cook and clean for Rahul as she was in love with him. “I was also a witness to the incident where Rahul's ex-girlfriend stormed into the flat and hit the couple, raining choicest of abuses,“ said Sinha. “Pratyusha gradually learnt of Rahul's past, including his previous marriage. She was terrorized by Rahul. He wouldn't let her do things she loved like eating out and watching movies. He kept postponing plans to tie the knot with her,“ said Sinha.The househelp also raised a doubt over someone as petite as Pratyusha being able to reach the ceiling fan to tie a noose when there was no stool in the house.
Speaking to mediapersons, Raj Baria, a driver who worked for Rahul, said his former girlfriend was present at Kokilaben Ambani Hospital on the night that Pratyusha's body was wheeled in. “She was the first to disappear from the hospital, followed by Rahul. He also switched off his cellphone,“ Baria said. According to the driver, Rahul had slapped Pratyusha at a mall on one occasion.
Actor had confided in aunt about boyfriend beating her up, shown her injury marks
Bangur Nagar police on Saturday recorded three statements in connection with TV actor Pratyusha Banerjee's suicide case. Pratyusha's aunt, Barnali, who was also her confidante, reached the police station along with the actress's father. Barnali recounted to the police how Pratyusha had visited her Ambernath residence in January and showed her injuries sustained from Rahul's beatings.
Pratyusha had stayed with her aunt for a couple of days and Barnali had suggested that she separate from Rahul. Barnali had also informed Pratyusha's parents about the goings-on. Barnali was in touch with Pratyusha on phone. Pratyusha had complained to her aunt in February as well as in March about Rahul.
Meanwhile, Pratyusha's father has told the police that there may be foul play involved in his daughter's death. He suspects that she was sedated, killed and then hanged. He also suspects that the reason for the change in her behaviour over the past few months was the result of drugs that were administered to her.
Besides Barnali, a real estate agent and a theatre actor recorded their statements. The real estate agent told police that Pratyusha was in touch with him ever since she arrived in Mumbai. He would help her look for properties to rent for herself. He said the actress did not seem to have any monetary problems. The theatre actor told the cops that he was Pratyusha's family friend and that she appeared upset over the past few months.