CBI files chargesheet in Jiah Khan suicide: How the case has evolved over two years

After investigations by two different agencies, a high-profile arrest and a defamation suit, question marks continue to linger on the death of Jiah Khan. The 25-year-old actor’s sudden death in June 2013 had left the film industry in shock, and sparked off several allegations and counter-allegations. With the filing of a chargesheet by the CBI, the case has once again hit the headlines. This is the second chargesheet in the matter, with the first one having been filed in January 2014. In both the chargesheets, actor Sooraj Pancholi was booked for abetment to suicide. Here are the major developments in the matter till now: -On 3 June 2013, Jiah Khan’s body was found at her apartment in Juhu in western Mumbai. The police termed it as a case of suicide, as her body was found hanging from the ceiling with her dupatta, as reported by Hindustan Times . Initially, no suicide note was found by investigators. Soon afterward the death, expressions of shock and sadness were made by several persons from the film fraternity. [caption id=“attachment_2541996” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Jiah Khan. IBNLive[/caption] -Soon after, the police questioned Sooraj — with whom Jiah was said to be in a relationship — in connection with the case. On 10 June, the police seized a three-page note said to have been written by her, which speaks about her relationship with Pancholi and abuse being faced by her, according to a DNA report . He was later released on bail by the High Court, which observed at the time that he could not be ‘held solely responsible’ for her death, as reported by DNA. -However, in January 2014, Jiah’s mother Rabiya Khan filed a petition before the Bombay High Court, seeking a CBI probe into the death. She claimed that the Mumbai police ignored forensic evidence in the case which, she claimed, showed that Jiah was killed and had not committed suicide, as reported by The Indian Express . This was shortly after the chargesheet was filed by the police, terming it a case of suicide. The High Court initially directing the creation of a special investigating team (SIT) to probe the case, as reported by NDTV . However, later, it transferred the case to the CBI, saying that the SIT had the same officers who had probed the case earlier, Mid Day reported. Interestingly, the CBI has now come to the same conclusion as the Mumbai police in its chargesheet. -Soon after the High Court order, Sooraj’s father Aditya Pancholi filed a defamation suit against Rabiya, referring to certain tweets put out by her, in which Aditya claimed she made personal attacks about his family, as per a report in The Indian Express . The suit is currently pending in the High Court. -Earlier this year, Sooraj underwent another round of questioning, this time by the CBI. The agency was also said to be probing the possibility of criminal conspiracy in the case, according to a report by India Today . Six months after the questioning, Pancholi has now been made an accused in the case. However, two-and-a-half years after the death, there seem to be no definite answers on the Nishabd actor’s death.