Jiah Khan suicide: Bombay HC dismisses mother's plea for re-investigation

The Bombay High Court on Monday dismissed a petition filed by Rabia Khan, the mother of Bollywood actor Jiah Khan who allegedly committed suicide, seeking a fresh investigation into the nine-year-old case.

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Monday dismissed a petition filed by Bollywood actor Jiah Khan's mother Rabia Khan, seeking re-investigation into the nine-year-old suicide case. A division bench of Justices A S Gadkari and M N Jadhav noted that it had faith in the agency that probed the case.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probed the case which has charged actor Sooraj Pancholi, Jiah Khan's boyfriend, with abetting her suicide. The 25-year-old actress was found hanging at her Mumbai residence on June 3, 2013. Rabia Khan, in her petition in the High Court, demanded that the case be investigated by an independent and special investigation agency with assistance from the United States's Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

As per Rabia Khan, her daughter was murdered. Her advocates Shekhar Jagtap and Sairuchita Chowdhary argued that the case was first probed by the Mumbai police and noticing "certain flaws and incorrect approach", Rabia Khan moved the HC and the probe was then transferred to the CBI in July 2014. However, the central agency, too, committed the same "errors" and hence the case has to be re-investigated.

The court noted the petitioner was weakening her own case by filing such a plea. Advocate Sandesh Patil, appearing for the CBI, told the court that the premier agency has investigated the case fairly. The bench said it would pass a detailed order later.