Bombay HC asks for post-mortem report of actor who died by suicide after being blackmailed by fake NCB officers

The Bombay High Court has asked the prosecution to produce the final post-mortem report in the court showing the cause of death of the actor who died by suicide after allegedly being blackmailed by fake Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officers last December.

Justice Anuja Prabhudessai, on March 31, directed the prosecution to produce the final post-mortem report showing the cause of death within two weeks.

The 28-year-old actor, who used to work in Bhojpuri movies and stayed on rent at Jogeshwari (West), died by suicide at her residence on December 23, 2021, as she was allegedly threatened by two persons – Suraj Pardesi (32), and Walimbe (28) – claiming to be officers from NCB. The fake NCB officers allegedly demanded Rs 20 lakh from the actor after they “caught” her and her friends during a raid at a rave party in Santacruz (West) hotel.

The court was hearing a bail application filed by one of the accused, Pravin Walimbe, through advocate Sana Raees Khan contending that his name is not mentioned in the FIR and that he was arrested on the basis of statement of the co accused which is not admissible.

Khan further argued that there have been contradictory statements by the witnesses which cast doubts on the entire investigation. The statements of witnesses clearly show that the deceased, who allegedly committed suicide, was in the business of selling drugs.

Besides, the statement of her friend Ashley Chhetri shows that deceased was apprehending death at the hands of her boyfriend Vignesh Batule, though he is not made an accused in this case, said Khan.

The bail plea states that the phone of the deceased was also in her boyfriend’s custody who was last seen with her.

In addition, there are contradictions in the statements of the building’s watchman and Batule which cast doubt on the time of her suicide.