Bengali TV actor 'suicide': FIR against live-in partner after kin allege murder

KOLKATA: A day after 25-year-old Bengali TV serial actor Pallavi Dey was found dead in her rented apartment in Garfa's Gangulypukur, cops registered an FIR against her live-in partner Sagnik Chakraborty after her father lod-ged a murder and cheating complaint with Garfa cops. The FIR includes sections pertaining to murder, cheating, criminal conspiracy, misappropriation of property, criminal breach of trust, wrongful restraint and causing hurt. Dey's father Nilu had also named one of Sagnik's woman friends in the complaint. She has also been named in the FIR.
The development came on Monday, the same day that cops questioned Dey's partner and recorded his detailed statement. The cops said that he has now confessed that he had gone out for a smoke and he found the actor hanging when he returned. He has also claimed Dey was recently worried about her finances.

The cops said the Dey family has gone to great lengths to ascertain that the actor had recently invested a huge amount to set up the couple's new home. According to the complaint, Dey knew her partner from 2020, and moved to Garfa with him this April. Complainant Nilu Dey, the actor's father, claimed she had recently paid Rs 50 lakh to book a flat in Rajarhat though it was registered in the name of a relative of her partner. He also alleged a joint account was opened by his daughter - the operational rights remaining with the partner along with his daughter.
"The family alleged the accused was in another relationship with a woman from Howrah. They claim the actor was assaulted by her partner when she objected. They also claimed that Dey's partner was not divorced as was initially claimed. All these are mentioned in the complaint," said an officer.
TOI tried speaking to the family of the live-in-partner for their version of events. However, all calls went unanswered. His parents had earlier claimed they had "disapproved" of their son moving in with the actor, but denied any wrongdoing by their son.
The cops said they will soon record statements of close friends of the actor. The woman from Howrah will also be asked to join investigations if required. "Besides looking into Dey's bank accounts and fund transfers, her call record details are being checked. We will be contacting all those to whom she spoke this weekend," said an officer.
The cops, however, clarified that the post-mortem was indicative enough to say it was a case of suicide. "The ligature mark, the primary opinion of autopsy surgeons, along with other preliminary evidence collected by us, are indicative of suicide by hanging. However, we will wait for the final report before reaching a conclusion," said an officer. TOI had, in its Monday edition, inadvertently used the word "strangulation" while mentioning the post-mortem report. Nothing of this sort was noted, said senior officers at Lalbazar.
"We don't believe she ended her life. The death should be properly investigated. Everything, including the bank details, mobile calls and other electronic evidence, has to be probed," said Nilu.