Mumbai: Actor Sooraj Pancholi has denied being responsible for his partner Jiah Khan’s suicide and claimed that their relationship was good throughout the time they were together.
The actor was answering 558 questions that a special court had put to him in connection with Jiah’s suicide, which he is accused of abetting.
Pancholi claims false testimony on part of CBI & Jiah’s mother
He said witnesses had provided false testimony at the best of the CBI and the complainant, Jiah’s mother.
The trial in the case has concluded and Pancholi was given an opportunity to personally answer the court on aspects emerging out oftestimony of prosecution witnesses under Section 313 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The court has reserved the judgment for April 28.
Jiah’s mother Rabiya Khan has repeatedly claimed that her daughter was murdered by Pancholi. Asked about the allegation under the final statement procedure, he said he was not responsible for her death.
Asked about Jiah’s abortion, Pancholi said he was unaware that she was pregnant. He said he took Jiah to a clinic as she had a fever, was asked to wait outside and was unaware of the conversation between her and the doctor. He also denied that he helped pull out the foetus that was stuck in Jiah after she took pills for an abortion.
Pancholi claims Jiah's mom beat her up
Pancholi said Jiah once came to him crying and told him that her mother had beaten her. He said he told Jian’s mother that the actor was “very depressed”, had tried to self-harm, and needed help.
The actor said Jiah’s family doctor had told him that he had treated her for depression. Pancholi denied being abusive towards Jiah and told the court that he was shocked and started crying when he heard about her suicide.
On being asked if during a police search procedure at his residence in connection with the suicide, as per a witness’s testimony, he had handed over letters written to him and said they were from “Jiah”, he answered in the negative.
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