HC stays trial against Sooraj Pancholi in Jiah Khan suicide case

The Bombay high court on Monday stayed the trial against actor Sooraj Pancholi, accused of abetting the suicide of actress Jiah Khan. The court has posted a petition filed by the late actress’ mother Rabia, seeking a SIT probe into her death, for June. 

A Vacation Bench of Justices BR Gavai and Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi, while staying the trial before a special women’s court, posted Rabia’s petition for hearing on June 7. The special court had on May 20 adjourned the trial till June 10, after Rabia sought to move the High Court, seeking stay in the trial pending hearing of her petition.

In her petition, Rabia sought SIT probe. She alleged that the CBI, which is probing the case, had concurred with the findings of the Mumbai police that it was a suicide case and not homicidal death. “The High Court today accepted my arguments that earlier also the trial was stayed in the case by the regular Bench of HC but later refused to extend the stay. Following this, Rabia approached the Supreme Court, which on May 17 asked her to petition the high court again,” Rabia’s advocate Subhash Jha said.