Mumbai, Apr 19: Doctors have confirmed that television actor Pratyusha Banerjee was pregnant, and may have undergone an abortion before allegedly committing suicide on April 1.
This was disclosed in a report submitted on Monday by the Sir JJ Hospital to the Bangur Nagar police, who are investigating the case. Banerjee’s boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh has been charged with abetment of suicide.
Following an autopsy at the Goregaon hospital, visceral samples were sent to the Sir JJ Hospital for further investigation. Medical officials at the hospital found placental tissues in her uterus, indicating pregnancy. “However, we cannot confirm if she underwent an abortion,” said a senior doctor.
During the histopathology examination, doctors reportedly found traces of chorionic villus – known to be a byproduct of conception – in Banerjee’s uterus. “We have not been able to ascertain if she was in an early stage of pregnancy or had undergone an abortion,” a medical officer said.
A senior forensic expert, however, held that the tissue samples could be sent to Forensic Science Laboratory in Kalina to establish the paternity of the foetus. “We could extract the DNA from the tissue samples and match it with that of the biological father,” he said.
“We have communicated our findings to the police,” said Sir JJ Hospital dean TP Lahane.
Police had registered a case of assault, criminal intimidation and abetment of suicide against Singh on a complaint filed by the deceased actor’s mother, Soma Banerjee, on April 5.
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