Trial in Jiah Khan case to start from March 21, Rabiya asked to depose

A special women’s court on Wednesday issued summons to Rabiya Khan, mother of slain actor Jiah Khan to remain present before it on March 21 and 22. The court has asked Rabiya to appear before it and depose as the witness in the case of her daughter — Jiah’s death.

This means, the trial in this nearly four-year-old case is all set to begin from March 21.

The special Judge Kavita Shirbhate issued summons calling upon Rabiya to depose before the court on March 21.

According to advocate Prashant Patil, who represents Sooraj Pancholi, Rabiya being the complainant in the case, will be the prime witness for the prosecution to establish its case. “Rabiya is the complainant and was the one who has filed the case against my client. She is summoned by the special court for examination in chief by the special public prosecutor and she would later be cross-examined by us (the defence).”

The issuance of summons to Rabiya comes after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) submitted a list of total 69 prosecution witnesses to the court. The list includes names of neighbours of the actress, doctors who examined Jiah post the death and conducted autopsy. The list of witnesses also mentions names of medial experts, panch witnesses and also the entire investigation team of the Juhu Police, and probed the case initially. Pancholi was arrested on June 10, 2013 following Jiah Khan’s suicide. However, on July 2 the same year, HC granted him bail and subsequently in July 2014, the HC transferred the probe in the case to the CBI.