HC refers Jiah Khan's suspected suicide case to Mumbai police chief

The Bombay High Court on Monday asked late actor Jiah Khan's mother Rabia Khan to approach the Mumbai police commissioner with her grievances regarding the probe into the death of her daughter.

Rabia has alleged that Jiah was murdered and did not commit suicide as claimed by police.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Rabia, demanding a probe by Special Investigating Team or CBI into the actor's death as she produced forensic and medical evidence to indicate that it was a case of murder.

Rabia Khan. Pic/Sayed Sameer Abedi

"You may approach the Police Commissioner with all your grievances and provide whatever evidence you may have in this regard", said the bench headed by Justice Naresh Patil while deferring the matter to May 8.

The suggestion to go before the police chief was given by public prosecutor Purnima Kantharia who vehemently denied the allegations of the petitioner that probe was improper and that an attempt was made by police to shield the accused.

Police had filed a chargesheet in the trial court naming Sooraj Pancholi, son of Bollywood actor Aditya Pancholi, as an accused for abetting suicide of Jiah.

According to prosecution, both were into an intense relationship which was later severed.

Mahesh Jethmalani, counsel for Rabia, said his client wanted to know the truth and the cause of her daughter's death.

She had procured evidence from private forensic experts which showed that Jiah did not take her life by hanging from the fan as claimed in the investigation but was murdered, he said.

Jethmalani also said that they were prepared to move the police commissioner with these grievances. He, however, asked for histopathology report and videography report of Jiah's postmortem which the police had not given them.

However, the judges opined that the Commissioner of Police may decide on this plea and asked the petitioner to come back to the court in case she was not satisfied with the response of the police establishment.