The special court, which acquitted actor Sooraj Pancholi on April 28 of the charge of abetment to suicide, in the Jiah Khan suicide case, said that she was a “victim of her sentiments”. It explained, “The available evidence on record reflects that Jiah was a victim of her sentiments. She couldn’t overcome the emotions… the accused, Sooraj Pancholi, cannot be held responsible.” The actress, who was 25 years then, was found hanging in her Juhu (Bombay) flat on June 3, 2013.
The court doubted the suicide note, which actress Jiah Khan’s mother, Rabia Khan, said on June 7, 2013, that her other daughter had found in Jiah’s wallet. The court pointed out that the police found no suicide note on June 3. It also said, Rabia could not explain the delay in lodging the complaint against Jiah’s then boyfriend, Sooraj. It further added that 80% of Rabia’s evidence was full of improvements and contradictions.
Special judge A.S. Sayyad explained, “She (Jiah Khan) could have always walked out of her relationship.” He added, the CBI “miserably failed” to establish the abetment charge and “in the absence of any mens rea (guilty mind) to show any instigation, it cannot be said, Pancholi drove Jiah to suicide”. Justice Sayyad remarked, “There is no evidence that on June 3, 2013, he acted in any manner which could reflect… he intended her to commit suicde… (CBI) failed to prove, there was any action on his part, which compelled her to commit suicide.”