Jiah Khan Case: Sooraj Pancholi, Charged With Abetment of Suicide, Acquitted

Jiah Khan had died by suicide at her Juhu home on 3 June, 2013.

On Friday, 28 April, a Special CBI court acquitted actor Sooraj Pancholi, who had been charged with abetting actor Jiah Khan’s suicide, as per a report by Live Law. Sooraj and Jiah were in a relationship. Jiah had died by suicide at her Juhu home on 3 June, 2013. Sooraj, son of actors Zarina Wahab and Aditya Pancholi, was facing the charge under section 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code. 

The Live Law report also states that Judge AS Sayyad pronounced the verdict, citing "paucity of evidence."

Sooraj was arrested on 10 June, 2013, seven days after the death of Jiah. The Bombay High Court granted him bail a month later. After Jiah's mother Rabia Khan filed a petition alleging foul play in her daughter's death, the High Court transferred the case to the CBI in 2014. The CBI filed a chargesheet in 2015, charging Sooraj with abetment of suicide.

The CBI had stated in the chargesheet that Sooraj had "concealed relevant information about the actual reason behind the incident and the statement given by him is incomplete and fabricated."

In his statement, Sooraj had denied all allegations against him, claiming a false case was being filed at Rabia's insistence.

The CBI had also claimed that Sooraj had aided Jiah in terminating her pregnancy six months before her death, leaving her an emotional wreck. Sooraj contradicted the doctor's statement by saying that the abortion was discussed in front of him.

Rabia said in her deposition that Jiah became a star after her first film Nishabdh released in 2007 and her daughter was making good money in 2012. But Sooraj refuted that too, saying the film didn't perform well.

In court, Sooraj reportedly denied having violent fights with Jiah or telling Rabia that he wanted to marry Jiah.

(With inputs from Live Law)