Nilesh Pawaskar appointed SPP in Pratyusha Banerjee case

Advocate Pawaskar will argue against the plea filed in the Bombay High Court by Pratyusha’s boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh seeking protection from arrest.

The state government on Friday appointed advocate Nilesh Pawaskar as special public prosecutor (SPP) to represent the police in the Pratyusha Banerjee suicide case.

Advocate Nilesh Pawaskar has been appointed after a request was made by Pratuysha’s parents (in pic). (HT Photo)

Pawaskar will now argue against the plea filed in the Bombay high court (HC) by Pratyusha’s boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh seeking protection from arrest.

Read: HC refuses to transfer Pratyusha’s suicide probe to crime branch

Pawaskar has been appointed after a request was made by Pratuysha’s parents.

Last week, a single bench of the HC had adjourned to April 25 the hearing on Singh’s anticipatory bail after the government’s counsel had produced a letter from the government stating that it wished to appoint an SPP to argue against Singh’s plea in HC.

Read: Pratyusha’s parents move HC, seeking crime branch probe

The police have informed the HC that it needs two months to complete investigations in the case and conclude if Singh abetted Pratyusha’s suicide.

While the HC will take up the hearing on Singh’s anticipatory bail plea on Monday, a division bench of the court is likely to take stock of the police’s probe into the case on May 2.

The division bench has kept pending a plea filed by Pratyusha’s parents seeking the transfer of the ongoing probe from the Bangur Nagar police to the crime branch.

Television actor Pratyusha Banerjee committed suicide on April 1 this year and on April 5, following a complaint made by Pratyusha’s mother, the police booked her live-in partner Singh on charges of abetment of suicide, and criminal intimidation.