Jiah suicide: Sooraj Pancholi denied bail

Jun 21, 2013 IANS

Mumbai, June 21 (IANS) A sessions court here Friday rejected the bail plea filed by Sooraj Pancholi, arrested on charges of abetting the suicide of Bollywood actress Nafisa alias Jiah Khan.

The prosecution opposed his bail application on grounds that the investigations had already reached a crucial stage and his release at this stage could hamper the probe.

Sooraj -- son of Bollywood actor-couple Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab -- is in judicial custody till June 27 and lodged at the Arthur Road Central Jail.

In his bail application, among other things, Sooraj has contended that the late Jiah's mother, Rabiya Khan who is the complainant in her daughter's suicide case, was allegedly taking revenge against him for some unknown reasons.

Sooraj further alleged that Rabiya Khan was "misusing" a letter penned by Jiah which was found at her home four days after she ended her life, June 3.

In his bail plea filed through a lawyer, Sooraj further contended that the letter - in which Jiah had described her woes with Sooraj - was not addressed to him and did not carry his name.

After the five-page letter was recovered and handed over to the police, Sooraj was arrested June 10 on grounds that it was "incriminating" evidence against him as she had blamed him for various problems she faced during her lifetime.

Shortly after his arrest, a magistrate in Andheri court had remanded Sooraj to police custody for three days and then to judicial custody till June 27.