Mumbai: Court stays Pancholi’s trial in Jiah Khan case

Mumbai, Feb 26: The Bombay high court on Thursday has stayed the trial of actor Sooraj Pancholi, who has been charge-sheeted for allegedly driving actress Jiah Khan to take her own life.

The court has also directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file an affidavit in reply to a petition filed by Rabia Khan, Jiah Khan’s mother, seeking a direction to set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to further investigate the case.

Rabia Khan, who suspects that her daughter was murdered, has approached HC alleging that the CBI has not done anything to further investigate the death of her 25-year-old daughter, which according to her, was homicide.

“CBI did virtually nothing after the high court transferred the case to it,” said advocate Subhash Jha, Rabia’s counsel.

CBI counsel Hitendra Venegaonkar, on the other hand, sought time to file affidavit in reply to the petition. He told the court that the real issue was about the appointment of Special Public Prosecutor Dinesh Tiwari, who had earlier represented Rabia.

“The CBI really does not want to continue with the special public prosecutor, and our writ petition on the issue is ready to be filed in the court,” said Venegaonkar.

Acting on an earlier petition filed by Rabia on July 1, 2014, the high court had transferred the case to CBI.