The son of a Bollywood couple has been arrested on suspicion of abetting the suicide of his girlfriend, actress Jiah Khan, police said.
Suraj Pancholi was arrested late Monday, Officer D. Deokar said.
Friends and relatives carry a coffin containing the body of Bollywood actress Jiah Khan during her funeral in Mumbai, on June 5, 2013. |
Deokar confirmed Khan, 25, committed suicide at her home in Mumbai last week. A letter she wrote alleges that Pancholi cheated on her, physically abused her and forced her to have an abortion. Police authenticated the letter was from Khan, and Indian media have published it.
Five letters written by actor Jiah Khan were recovered from the house of Suraj Pancholi, arrested on Monday on charges of abetting the actor's suicide. The police got Suraj's custody for two days after they told the Andheri magistrate's court that they wanted to question him about the letters and also her claim that she had had an abortion.
In a six-page letter Jiah's mother Rabiya handed over to the police, she claimed Jiah also alleged she was tortured by her boyfriend. Jiah hadn't named anybody, but Rabiya insisted she was referring Suraj.
Following claims by Rabiya that the actor was in a live-in relationship with Suraj, son of actor couple Aditaya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab for over a year, they are also checking if the law against domestic violence is applicable to the case.
"Jiah's mother said in her complaint that her daughter was in a live-in relationship with Suraj and he promised to marry her. The law says that in such cases, the domestic violence Act is applicable. We are discussing with legal experts and examining the details of their relationship," said a senior officer.
Jiah and Suraj were living with their respective families but would spend time together, like the weekend before she killed herself, and the police are examining if they can be considered a live-in couple as claimed by Rabiya. The investigators are concentrating on finding out if anyone had assaulted Jiah and instigated her to commit suicide last Monday. Rabiya told the police there were injuries on Jiah's face and she suspected that someone had assaulted her when she went to Suraj's house before her death and demanded to see him after he sent her a break-up bouquet. She was turned away.
In their remand application, the police said they have recovered a laptop, mobile, an iPod and letters from Suraj's house and were examining them. "Suraj's custody was required to collect collaborative evidence to prove that he had instigated Jiah to commit suicide," said the officer.
Suraj's advocate told the court that his client was disturbed by the incident. Pointing out Suraj is four years younger to the 25-year-old Jiah, he wondered how he could abet her suicide.
Pancholi’s parents are Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab. Neither they nor their son has spoken about the allegations.
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