JIAH KHAN DEATH: ABETTMENT OF SUICIDE CHARGES FRAMED AGAINST SOORAJ PANCHOLI

On Tuesday, Sooraj Pancholi was charged of abetting the suicide of his girlfriend actor Jiah Khan in 2013 by a session court. The actor who was present in the court pleaded not guilty. The trial is expected to begin on February 14.

Sectio 306 of the IPC deals with the charges of abetment of suicide and attracts a maximum punishment of 10 years in jail. Prashant Patil, who happens to be Pancholi's lawyer withdrew the discharge plea he had submitted earlier.

On June 3, 2013, Jiah was found hanging in the bedroom of her Juhu flat, after which Sooraj was arrested and charged with abetment. He was later released on bail.

In January 2014, the Mumbai police filed a 447-page charge sheet and alleged suicide. Later, the Bombay HC transferred the case to the CBI after Jiah's mother Rabia alleged murder. After all the inspections, the CBI filed a charge sheet ruling out murder.

The CBI said that a note written by Jiah had established that "Sooraj ruined her life". The CBI also referred to their relationship and mentioned that Jiah would clean Sooraj's flat, iron his clothes and keep them in the cupboard.

The charge sheet by the CBI also described in detail the abortion procedure Jiah underwent when she was four weeks pregnant in January 2013. The doctor who prescribed the pills to the late actress said two days after consuming the pills, he received a call from Sooraj stating that "half of the stuff" referring to the fetus was still stuck inside Jiah. The doctor advised him to take her to the hospital. Sooraj later called him again and said he had helped her pull out the "remaining stuff". Jiah had also mentioned about the abortion in her note, "I was scared of getting pregnant but I gave you myself completely. The pain you have caused me every day has destroyed every bit of me. Destroyed my soul and I aborted our baby when it hurt me deeply."