Rahul Banerjee death: ‘Criminal conspiracy’ alleged as Priyanka Sarkar, Artists’ Forum file FIR

Kolkata: The fallout from Rahul Arunoday Banerjee’s unnatural death continues to deepen, with his wife Priyanka Sarkar now formally stepping into the fight for answers alongside the West Bengal Motion Picture Artists’ Forum. 

Days after the 43-year-old actor died in an accidental drowning during the shoot of ‘Bhole Baba Par Karega’ at Talsari beach, the Artists’ Forum has filed an FIR against the production house, Magic Moments Motion Pictures Pvt Ltd, at Regent Park Police Station.

Sarkar was present as the complaint was lodged, signalling a more direct push from the family.

As reported earlier, Banerjee’s death on March 29 had sent shockwaves across Tollywood, raising serious concerns about on-set safety. That concern has now hardened into legal action.

The forum has alleged that the shoot was conducted in a “negligent manner”, “risking human lives”, and has gone a step further by accusing directors Saibal Banerjee and Leena Gangopadhyay of a “criminal conspiracy”.

In its statement, the forum said, “On March 29… our colleague Rahul Arunoday Banerjee tragically passed away due to an accidental drowning.” It added that a formal clarification was sought from the production house, but the response was “unsatisfactory and inadequate”.

“We are calling for a fair and transparent probe into the incident,” the statement stressed.

The complaint has been registered as a Zero FIR, meaning it can be transferred to the appropriate jurisdiction for further investigation.

Sarkar’s presence marks a significant moment in the case, underlining that the demand for accountability is no longer limited to industry bodies but is being led from within the family as well.

Meanwhile, as seen over the past few days, the industry continues to stage protests, demanding justice for the late actor.

Leading names, including Prosenjit Chatterjee, Aparna Sen, Srijit Mukherjee, and others, have taken to the streets, holding protest marches with placards reading “Justice for Rahul”.

The tragedy has now firmly snowballed into a larger debate on safety protocols, permissions, and accountability on sets.

With the FIR now in place, all eyes are on the investigation and whether it can finally answer the questions that have lingered since that day at Talsari.