Chargesheet copy handed over to Suraj Pancholi

The sessions court in Mumbai on Friday handed over a copy of the supplementary chargesheet filed by the CBI to actor Suraj Pancholi in the case of actor Jiah Khan’s death. The CBI has also maintained that Jiah committed suicide and her death was not homicide.

Actor couple Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab’s son Suraj is facing the charge of abetment to suicide in this matter, while Jiah’s mother Rabiya is still maintaining that someone killed her daughter and the police should find out who is behind her murder.

On July 3, 2014, the high court had asked the CBI to conduct further investigation into the death on an application filed by Rabiya, who since day one, has been claiming that her daughter was killed. Rabiya had approached the high court seeking an investigation by the CBI because the police maintained that it is a suicide. On directions of the high court, the CBI was trying to find out whether Jiah’s death was a suicide or a homicide and filed its report on Wednesday in court, which was handed over to Suraj on Friday.

Special public prosecutor Dinesh Tiwari informed additional sessions judge A.S. Shende that CBI is not the prosecuting agency in this case because the high court had only asked it to carry out investigation in this matter and file a report.

Advocate Tiwari also informed the court that the only role the CBI will play now will be of a witness as it has investigated the matter to some extent and has collected some evidence. “We will examine the CBI investigating officer as a witness,” he added.

According to sources, the CBI has also said that it was a suicide and has charged Suraj with abetment to suicide. Rabiya, while speaking to The Asian Age, said, “I am really disappointed with the CBI. I was not expecting this from it.”

“I am not sure if I will approach the high court seeking investigation by a special investigating agency. To take a decision on this, I will have to first take legal opinion,” said Rabiya, reacting on the supplementary chargesheet filed by CBI in the case.

She also said, “Till the last moment I was under impression that the CBI investigation was in going on in right direction (that Jiah Khan was murdered) but now what chargesheet they have filed is on the lines of what the police is saying that it was a suicide.'” She also said that last she spoke to CBI officer Rajbhar on December 8 and till that time he appeared to be convinced that it was a murder and till than Rabiya was not informed that chargesheet is going to be filed soon.