Jiah Khan suicide case: Mumbai CBI Court acquits actor Sooraj Pancholi of abetment charges

After almost 10 years of Jiah Khan suicide case, a special CBI court in Mumbai acquitted actor Sooraj Pancholi of abutment charges on Friday.

“Due to paucity of evidence, this court can’t hold you (Sooraj Pancholi) guilty, hence acquitted,” Special CBI court judge Judge AS Sayyed said while pronouncing the verdict. Jiah Khan was found dead in her suburban home on June 3, 2013.

Suraj Pancholi was arrested on June 10 after Mumbai Police seized a letter allegedly written by the 25-year-old actor and charged him under Section 306 (abetment to suicide).

Sooraj, the son of actors Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab, was allegedly dating Jiah. Rabia Khan, Jiah’s mother, claimed her daughter was murdered. In October 2013, Rabia petitioned the Bombay High Court for a CBI investigation into the case, alleging that her daughter had been murdered.

In July 2014, the CBI took over the investigation from the Maharashtra Police on the order of the Bombay High Court.

Rabia claimed that her daughter was being abused by Sooraj Pancholi. Sooraj and Jiah first met in September of 2012.