Jiah's suicide: Rabia moves HC again for SIT probe

Rabia alleged that she was threatened by a man, who asked her to withdraw case against accused

Rabia Khan, mother of late actor Jiah Khan, has moved the Bombay High Court once again alleging that her daughter was murdered and had not committed suicide and sought transfer of probe to a Special Investigating Team.

The petition would come up for hearing in due course, her lawyer Dinesh Tiwari said.

In October 2013, Rabia had filed a petition seeking CBI probe but did not press for it as the High Court had asked police to record her statement and probe as if it was a case of murder. The police had probed on these lines and filed a chargesheet saying it was a suicide case and charged actor Suraj Pancholi, Jiah's boyfriend, for abetment of suicide.

At a press conference here today, Rabia alleged that she was threatened by a man on February 25 who met her at her house and asked her to withdraw case against the accused. She promptly reported this to Police Commissioner through e-mail.

In her petition filed recently, 53-year-old Rabia had cited circumstances which point out that Jiah was allegedly killed and had not committed suicide, as stated in charge sheet. She has blamed Suraj for her daughter's death.

Rabia said she had carried out a sting operation of a few witnesses who revealed in an audio recording that they had not told the police what had been recorded in their statements, thereby doubting the police version that Jiah had committed suicide.

The petitioner has sought investigations by SIT under the supervision of the High Court and direction so as to allow the Federal Bureau of Investigation, USA, to assist the Indian investigating agency in the ongoing probe.

Rabia, a British citizen, has urged the High Court to direct the Juhu police to give her a copy of histopathology report, a copy of videography held during post mortem, copies of SMS exchanged between Suraj and Jiah and a copy of the call details record of Suraj and his father Aditya Pancholi.

Jiah's mother has also prayed for a direction to the police to provide her with a copy of transcripts of the BBM (Blackberry Messenger services) chat between Suraj and Jiah, copies of details of mobile tower location and allow exhuming Jiah's body so as to conduct more forensic examinations.

She prayed that police may be directed to book Suraj Pancholi with additional charges under IPC including 302 (murder), 323 (voluntary causing grievous hurt) and 376 (rape).