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Mumbai: Actor Kushal Punjabi during the opening ceremony of "The Roots Premiere League" in Mumbai on Sept 13, 2017. (Photo: IANS) Image Credit: IANS

Kushal Punjabi’s wife Audrey Dolhen has defended herself after being blamed for the suicide of the TV actor on December 26.

The couple got married in 2015 and shared three-year-old son Kian.

“We had problems in our marriage but it was not a failed marriage. I never stopped [son] Kian from talking to his father Kushal. It was Kushal who was not serious about his family,” Dolhen told entertainment portal Peeping Moon.

“I invited him to settle down in Shanghai but he was least interested. In fact, it was me who was looking after his expenses. Kian lost interest in his father because of lack of seriousness. I tried my best to save my relationship with Kushal,” she added.

Dolhen currently works as the CCO in CMA CGM China Shipping Company.

“I was on contract with my company and Kushal was not able to understand this. He wanted me to shift to London. It was not possible for me to quit my job. Kushal was a careless father who never bothered about his son’s future. I was at the receiving end in the marriage and not him. I was with our son Kian in France for Christmas holidays,” Dolhen said.

“I don’t know why I am being blamed for his death. It was Kushal who failed in our relationship,” she added.

According to the portal, Punjabi’s parents said that Dolhen harassed him and demanded a huge sum of money for a divorce.

They said that she took away Kian, which shattered Punjabi and made him take his life.

Dolhen has been summoned by Mumbai Police in connection with Punjabi’s suicide.

The TV actor committed suicide at his home in Mumbai’s Bandra area. As per a statement from the police, the actor “committed suicide by hanging himself from a fan with a nylon rope”.

Punjabi came into the limelight after winning the reality show ‘Zor Ka Jhatka’, and went on to do other reality shows such as ‘Fear Factor’, ‘Paisa Bhari Padega’ and ‘Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa’.

Punjabi also worked in movies like ‘Lakshya’, ‘Kaal’, ‘Salaam-e-Ishq’, ‘Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal’ and ‘Crazy Cukkad Family’.