Jiah Khan, a Bollywood actress, was a rising star in Indian cinema. But in June 2013, when she was 25, she took her own life and was discovered dead in her family’s apartment. Khan’s mother, Rabia Khan, charged actor Sooraj Pancholi with assisting Jiah, his ex-girlfriend, in taking her own life after she passed away. According to the most recent development, a special court has ordered the CBI to summon the last remaining witnesses against Sooraj Pancholi in order to accelerate the trial into actor Jiah Khan’s death.
On Friday, Pancholi denied the CBI’s request for an adjournment, contending that the prosecution was purposely prolonging the case. “The prosecution is hereby directed to accelerate the trial by calling the remaining witnesses without fail,” the court said. According to reports, Pancholi claimed that 19 witnesses had previously been questioned in the continuing case since 2014 in an application submitted through his lawyer Prashant Patil.
Speaking of the matter, Sooraj Pancholi’s lawyer Prashant Patil told E Times, “It is very unfortunate that the CBI is intentionally playing delaying tactics in the trial of Sooraj Pancholi Versus CBI. If the accused is guilty, he would be convicted of the offence, but if he is innocent then should be acquitted. However, the record of the Honourable Special CBI Court reflects that CBI has been only delaying the trial. It’s unfortunate that Sooraj Pancholi has to face a trial wherein there are intentional delaying tactics played, while the media had no patience for awaiting the final outcome of proceedings.”
The last witness was examined on October 20 (2022) after much delay, and throughout the previous three months, just one witness has been examined, the pleader said. It reported that the only three witnesses remained to be questioned were an expert, two investigating officers, and a witness. According to the appeal, which claimed that Pancholi was suffering as a result of the delayed trial, the prosecution was to be fined Rs 10,000 for requesting an adjournment.
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