Jiah case: Mother moves SC as HC junks her plea for SIT probe
MUMBAI: Four years after Bollywood actress Jiah Khan’s death, her mother Rabia is still fighting to prove that her death was a murder, and not a suicide. Rabia approached the Supreme Court as her plea seeking a Special Investigations Team (SIT) was rejected by the Bombay high court on February 9.
Jiah was found hanging in her apartment on June 3, 2013. A week later, the Juhu police had arrested actor Suraj Pancholi for abetment to suicide.
On Tuesday, the case was scheduled for court to pass an order for commencement of the trial. However, Rabia’s lawyer sought time as they have moved the apex court.
“We are expecting the petition to come up for hearing after February 20, as the apex court is on holiday,” Rabia’s lawyer told the court. Special public prosecutor Dinesh Tiwari also sought time, saying that they need to comply with the order of the Bombay
“As per the order of the Bombay high court, Rabia Khan is directed to handover all the reports and evidence to the prosecution. As per the reports, the girl was strangulated before being hanged. In such a case, I will have to bring all these facts before the court as soon as I am formally given copies of it,” Tiwari contended.
Pancholi’s lawyer Prashant Patil moved a plea saying that fundamental right of the accused for a speedy trial is being violated Thecourt afterconsider the hearing on March 24, observing that the prosecution should open the case on the date, subject to the hearing and direction, if any, of the apex court.
Meanwhile, another question which is being raised is who will conduct the trial — a state appointed special public prosecutor (SPP) or a lawyer appointed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The counsel of CBI, Rajendra Bhatnagar, on Tuesday told the court that they are in the process of filing a petition before the high court on