Sooraj Pancholi Says He Chose To Protect Jiah Khan's Privacy, Urges Media To Stop 'False Narratives' After 14-Year Trial

Actor Sooraj Pancholi shared an emotional statement years after being acquitted in the Jiah Khan suicide case, urging the media and social media pages to stop spreading what he called "false narratives" and "half-baked truths" about him.

Taking to Instagram on Sunday (August 2), Sooraj Pancholi reflected on the 14-year legal battle that followed Jiah Khan's death. He stressed that the case had been decided in court based on evidence and law, adding that there were no unresolved legal questions.

Addressing media organisations, the actor wrote, “To ALL the Media pages out there! Please explain what you believe remains ‘unanswered,’ and kindly make sure your facts are accurate. I went through a 14-year court trial. The case was decided on the basis of facts, evidence and the law. I was acquitted, and there are no ‘unanswered questions’ from the legal proceedings. All the court records and trial proceedings are publicly available for anyone who genuinely wants to understand the facts before forming an opinion."

Sooraj also looked back at the period when the case began, saying he was just 20 years old and had known Jiah for only a few months before the incident changed his life forever.

He wrote, “I was only 20 years old when this unfortunate incident happened. I had known her for barely four months, and I had no idea what she may have been going through internally. At that age, I was too young to understand that someone could be carrying so much. What followed changed my life forever."

Speaking about the impact of the prolonged legal proceedings, he added, “I spent the next 14 years fighting to prove my innocence. Those were the years when I should have been building my life. Instead, I lived under the weight of a trial that consumed my twenties and a large part of my thirties. Only I know what I carried in my mind and in my heart every single day. The court of law was the only place where I could prove my innocence. I put my faith in the judicial process, and after 14 years, I was acquitted. If, even after that, people still choose to judge me and hold me guilty, I honestly don’t know what more I can do."

The actor further revealed that despite everything he had endured, he never disclosed the personal conversations he had with Jiah because he wanted to respect her privacy.

He stated, “Just because I have chosen to remain silent all these years doesn’t give anyone the right to write whatever they want. Out of respect, I have never spoken publicly about the personal traumas she shared with me or the struggles she faced in her life. I chose to protect her privacy despite everything I have been through. I only ask for the same fairness and respect in return."

Concluding his note, Sooraj appealed for responsible reporting and sensitivity while covering the case.

He wrote, “For many of you, this may just be another story or another headline. For me, it has been my entire life. Every careless headline, every misleading video, and every false narrative reopens a chapter I have spent years trying to survive. All I ask is that you approach this with honesty, responsibility, sensitivity and professionalism. If you are going to tell my story, please tell the whole story."

Sooraj Pancholi was acquitted by a special CBI court in the Jiah Khan suicide case after a 14-year trial.