Jiah Khan Suicide Case: Sooraj Pancholi acquitted; Rabia Khan says 'will fight till last breath'

Jiah Khan Suicide Case: A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Mumbai acquitted actor Sooraj Pancholi in Jiah Khan's case. He was accused of allegedly abetting the actress' suicide. Jiah, who was best known for starring in Nishabd opposite Amitabh Bachchan, was found dead at her home in Mumbai on June 3, 2013. She was 25. "Due to paucity of evidence, this court can't hold you (Sooraj Pancholi) guilty, hence acquitted," said Judge AS Sayyed of special CBI court in Mumbai.'

Jiah Khan's mother Rabia Khan refuted the prosecution's case that this was a case of suicide and claimed that her daughter was killed. "I will fight till my last breath. He (Sooraj Pancholi) has been released on abetment but my daughter has been murdered. I will appeal further, I have submitted all the proofs to the agency but they did nothing."

As per the Central Bureau of Investigation, the letter, which was seized by Mumbai police that began its probe on June 10, 2013, was written by Jiah Khan. The CBI claimed the note narrated her "intimate relationship, physical abuse and mental and physical torture” allegedly at the hands of Sooraj Pancholi, which led to her committing suicide. The case was reassigned to a special CBI court in 2021 after the sessions court said it did not have jurisdiction over the case as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had probed it.

Special CBI Judge AS Sayyad, after hearing the final arguments of both sides, last week reserved his judgment in the case for April 28. Jiah Khan's mother Rabia Khan, a key prosecution witness in the case, told the court she believed it was a case of murder and not suicide. "I want the truth to be out, Jiah khan did not take her own life. We have spent 10 years exposing the truth based on factual evidence. Now it is up to the court to draw the right conclusions."

Bombay HC on Jiah Khan's Case

The Bombay High Court last year dismissed her petition seeking a fresh probe into Jiah Khan's suicide case. During her deposition, Rabia Khan had told the CBI court Pancholi used to subject Jiah Khan to physical and verbal abuse. She also alleged the police and CBI had not collected legal evidence to prove her daughter had committed suicide.

Sooraj Pancholi, in his 313-page statement filed before the court, had claimed the investigation and chargesheet were false, adding prosecution witnesses had testified against him on the behest of complainant Rabia Khan, police and CBI.