Paving the way for commencement of trial in the Bollywood actress Jiah Khan suicide case, the Bombay high court on Monday lifted the stay from conducting a trial in the case and deferred hearing on th
Paving the way for commencement of trial in the Bollywood actress Jiah Khan suicide case, the Bombay high court on Monday lifted the stay from conducting a trial in the case and deferred hearing on the petition filed by Jiah’s mother Rabia Khan seeking an investigation into her death by a Special Investigation Team.
“We cannot keep staying the matter. There has to be an end to this,” said Justice Naresh Patil, while refusing to extend the stay granted on framing of charges against actor Suraj Pancholi in the case.
CBI counsel Hiten Venegaokar on Monday informed the division bench of Justice N.H. Patil and Justice A.M. Badar that initially the local police investigated Jiah’s suicide, but on the directions of the high court the investigation was transferred to the CBI. After investigation, the CBI also concluded that the actress had indeed committed suicide and charged Pancholi with abetment of suicide.
“Now, the mother of the deceased is seeking an investigation by the SIT,” said Mr Venegaokar. Confirming this, advocate Subhash Jha, on behalf of Rabia, said that there were certain facts that which indicate that it is a case of murder and not suicide and hence the court should extend the stay granted on the trial till the application seeking a probe by a special investigation team is decided.
“What if the applicant is not satisfied with investigation of the SIT also ” asked the bench and refused to extend the stay and posted her petition for hearing after the summer vacations.
In the meantime, advocate Venegaokar also told the court that CBI does not want to continue with the special public prosecutor appointed by the state government. “We want to challenge his appointment also,” said advocate Venegaokar. However, the bench said the appointment of special public prosecutor is not part of the petition pending before this court and hence it would not hear the issue. “If you want this issue to be heard then file an application or a separate petition and without that we would not hear this,” the bench further added.
It may be recalled that a chargesheet has been filed against Pancholi in the case, but charges could not be framed because the high court had on February 25, stayed the trial.
