- By Aanchal Sharma
- Fri, 28 Apr 2023 12:43 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Bollywood actor Sooraj Pancholi, the prime accused in the Jiah Khan suicide case, was acquitted of abetment charges by the Special CBI Court on Friday. Pancholi, who was arrested in the case in July 2013 and was later released on bail, was found not guilty due to lack of evidence.
"Due to paucity of evidence, this court can't hold you (Sooraj Pancholi) guilty, hence acquitted," Judge AS Sayyed of the special CBI court said while delivering the verdict in the case.
Bollywood actor Jiah Khan’s death by suicide gave everyone the chills in the industry. The 25-year-old actor hanged herself from a ceiling fan in her Juhu apartment and left behind a suicide note.
Take a look at the complete timeline of Jiah Khan's death case:
2013
Jiah Khan, who has been a prominent face in Bollywood films including Nishabd and Ghajini, was found dead on June 3, 2013 at her Juhu apartment. The actor was found hanging by the police from a ceiling fan in her bedroom.
In a 6-page suicide note found written by Jiah Khan, the actor’s ex-boyfriend Sooraj Pancholi was booked for ‘abetment to suicide’. The letter was circulated widely in the media.
Jiah Khan’s mother Rabia, who has been the backbone of fighting the case for her daughter, told the court that herdaughter’s death was a murder. According to the autopsy report, it was confirmed that Jiah Khan died by hanging and any foul play was ruled out.
Sooraj Pancholi was arrested on June 11, 2023 on charges of abetment to suicide. The actor’s bail application was rejected on June 21.
Sooraj Pancholi was granted bail on a surety of Rs 50,000, but the actor was asked to surrender his passport. On July 2, the actor was acquitted by the court on the grounds of innocence.
2014
After a plea by Jiah Khan’s mother Rabia asking the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take over the investigation from Mumbai Police. The case was then handed over to CBI, after which Sooraj Pancholi’s father Aditya Pancholi filed a Rs 100 crore defamation suit against Rabia.
2015
The CBI conducted a raid at the Pancholi residence on May 15, 2014. In June, Sooraj Pancholi was questioned by the CBI. In December, the CBI filed a chargesheet against Sooraj Pancholi in Jiah Khan suicide case for ‘abetment to suicide’.
2016
After months of investigations, the CBI ruled out the possibility of murder and termed Jiah Khan’s death as suicide. In September, Rabia Khan hired a British forensic expert, Jason Payne-James, who alleged that Jiah Khan’s death was ‘staged’.
2017
Jiah Khan’s mother Rabia Khan wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to help deliver justice for her daughter. In October, a plea was filed in the Bombay High Court by Sooraj Pancholi for expediting the trial.
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2018
A special CBI court rejected a plea for further investigation against Sooraj Pancholi. Speaking to Hindustan Times in an exclusive interview, Sooraj Pancholi reflected upon the case and said, “I knew that there was something I was going to be charged with but I’m ready for any charge against me, because until I have a charge, I cannot defend myself. I have lost my 20s in this bargain, but I don’t want to feel like a victim. I don’t want any sympathy. I just want my trial to be fair, whether it goes against me or in my favour."
The court accused Sooraj Pancholi of abetment to suicide later that year. The actor denied the allegations and pleaded innocence.
2021
The case was reassigned to a special CBI court in 2021.
2022
The Bombay High Court dismissed the petition filed by Rabia Khan seeking a fresh investigation of the case.
2023
A special CBI court acquitted Sooraj Pancholi from abetment charges in the case on April 28.