Minutes after a special CBI court acquitted actor Sooraj Pancholi of abetment charges in Jiah Khan's death case, the actress' mother Rabia Khan spoke to reporters outside the court and expressed her disappointment at the verdict. Jiah Khan died in 2013 and her death was ruled a suicide after the initial investigation. An abetment to suicide case was lodged against Sooraj, Jiah's boyfriend after Rabia claimed he was abusive towards her.
Speaking to the media outside the court on Friday, Rabia said, "I will go to the High Court or Supreme Court. They want me to work harder, I will work harder. I have fought for 10 years, I will fight more. Jiah will get justice."
Rabia has, in the past, claimed that Jiah was murdered. She has also demanded that a murder investigation be launched against Sooraj. She reiterated her claim on Friday as well. "The road is now open for me. CBI could have pressed for murder charges. I am grateful for the court to hold that there is no evidence because no evidence was submitted," she said.
On Friday, while pronouncing its verdict, the court observed that there was no evidence against Sooraj. Delivering his judgement, the judge said, "Due to paucity of evidence, this court can't hold you (Sooraj Pancholi) guilty, hence acquitted." Reacting to that, Rabia slammed CBI and blamed it for not presenting the evidence in the court. She said, "The court is saying no evidence. How can that be? i am sure CBI did not submit evidence. I told them to take it from Juhu. It is not shocking, it was not 306, it is 302, it helps me now."
Jiah, 25, was found dead at her Mumbai residence in June 2013. Four days later, a six-page suicide note was recovered from the actress’ apartment. After Rabia claimed that Sooraj was responsible for her death, driving her to take her own life, Sooraj Pancholi was arrested by the Juhu police a week later.
Jiah Khan began her career in Bollywood at the age of 19 with the film Nishabd in 2007 and went on to appear in hits such as Ghajini and Housefull, the only other films in her short career. As per reports, she and Sooraj Pancholi began dating just over a year before her death. Sooraj is the son of Bollywood actors Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab.
