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‘I WILL FIGHT FOR THE TRUTH TILL MY LAST BREATH’

Rabbiya Khan, mother of Jiah Khan, found dead in 2013, talks about her painful journey as a mother

- Yashika Mathur yashika.mathur@htlive.com

Actor Sooraj Pancholi has been charged with abetment to suicide by a Mumbai sessions court in the case of actor Jiah Khan’s 2013 suicide. The trial is set to start on February 14 this year. Jiah’s mother Rabbiya Khan, the complainan­t in the case, says that she’s ready to fight the battle and is waiting for the truth to come out.

“I’m partially happy,” Rabbiya tells us in a telephone conversati­on. “At least, the momentum has begun and we can now actually fight the case. I’ve given all the findings to the Supreme Court and they made the sessions court the fact-finder. It was a good thing that we could persuade the judge to look into the matter. I will fight for the truth till my last breath,” adds Rabbiya, who is in London and will fly back to India before the trial begins.

Jiah, whose filmograph­y includes Nishabd (2007), Ghajini (2008), and Housefull (2010), committed suicide — so far, the case is being treated as suicide — in her flat in Juhu, Mumbai, in 2013. A six-page suicide note was found in the apartment; in it, Jiah spoke of being in a very unhappy relationsh­ip with Sooraj.

“Let me tell you, my daughter was far braver than I can ever be,” says Rabbiya. “She left her comfortabl­e life in London, to follow her passion and this is what happened to her. It has been very painful for me and my family in these past years.”

Rabbiya says that she will only be able to decide her plan of action once she is back. “I’ll come back to India and then see what needs to be done next. The only thing which keeps me going is the truth,” says the emotional mother. “Justice is a very big word for me. All I want to know is who did this to my daughter. As a mother, it’s my right to know and I will keep fighting for this till I don’t get an answer.”

I’ll come back to India and then see what needs to be done next. The only thing which keeps me going is the truth. Justice is a very big word for me. All I want to know is who did this to my daughter

RABBIYA KHAN, COMPLAINAN­T IN THE JIAH KHAN SUICIDE CASE

 ?? PHOTO: KUNAL PATIL / HT ??
PHOTO: KUNAL PATIL / HT
 ??  ?? Jiah Khan dated Sooraj Pancholi
Jiah Khan dated Sooraj Pancholi

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