A rising sensation in Bollywood, Jiah Khan was actually Nafisa Rizvi Khan at birth. In her brief but notable career, the English-American singer and actress performed in three Hindi films and collaborated with famous names like Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, and Aamir Khan. The devastating news of her passing shocked the nation just as everyone believed she was poised to break into the big league.
An overview of the case (Timeline of events)
- In June 3, 2013, Mumbai Police discovered Jiah Khan’s death in her flat in Juhu.
- In June 7, 2013, A six-page, handwritten note purportedly from Jiah Khan and sent to Sooraj Pancholi was discovered by Jiah Khan’s sister.
- In June 11, 2013, police charged Sooraj Pancholi with aiding suicide and took him into custody.
- In July 1, 2013, Mumbai court released Sooraj Pancholi from custody after granting him bail in exchange for a Rs. 50,000 guarantee.
- The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) received the cases in 2014. A year later, the agency at long last submitted an additional charge sheet. They affirmed Jiah’s death by hanging in August 2016 and disregarded the possibility of a murderous motive.
- In October 2017, Rabia Khan, the mother of Jiah Khan, appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an open letter for justice. She criticised the CBI’s investigation in the letter as well. Rabia argued, “The injuries on my daughter’s body are inconsistent with the alleged suicidal hanging and all forensic evidence strongly suggest that she was murdered and then hanged to make it look like a suicide.”
- She also started an internet petition drive to call for harsh punishment for the accused.
- In 2021, a special CBI court began a probe into the suicide case. The BBC produced Death in Bollywood, a documentary about her, that same year.
- The Jiah Khan case judgement will be announced by the special court on Friday at 10:30am.
