Jiah Khan death: Suraj Pancholi questioned by CBI
Mumbai: CBI has examined Suraj Pancholi, the son of actor Aditya Pancholi, in connection with the death of actress Jiah Khan in 2013.
CBI sources said that Suraj is likely to be called again for examination. They said his father was also examined on May 13, when the agency carried out searches at his residence.
The sources said that the agency is also probing criminal conspiracy angle in the death of Jiah, famous for her role in Amitabh Bachchan's Nishabd. Jiah's mother has alleged that Suraj was in relation with the actress and should be probed for the death of her daughter. She has alleged that her daughter's death was not suicide.
The case had come to CBI last year following the orders of the Bombay High Court, which had directed the agency to probe whether the death was suicide or homicide on plea of Jiah's mother Rabia.
"The High Court has directed the CBI to consider whether this is a case of suicidal or homicidal death. If it comes to a conclusion that it is a homicidal death, then further probe be made to find out who is the perpetrator of the crime and accordingly action be taken," CBI spokesperson Kanchan Prasad had said after registration of the case.
She said that Mumbai Police have already filed a charge sheet on January 11, 2014 against a person under section 306 (abatement of suicide) of IPC.
Explaining the reasons for transferring the case to CBI, the bench had said forensic opinion privately obtained by Jiah's mother Rabia were at variance with those of Mumbai Police, suggesting there was a "lacuna" in the investigation.
Jiah, 25-year-old British-American actress, was found hanging from a ceiling fan at her home in Juhu on June 3, 2013.
Her relationship with actor Suraj Pancholi, son of actor couple Aditya Pancholi and Zareena Wahab, was said to be under strain and it was suspected that it drove her to end her life.