Sooraj Pancholi went through one of the most difficult phases of his life during the trial in Jiah Khan’s suicide case. The actor was, however, acquitted by the special CBI court after being found not guilty. Despite receiving a clean chit from the court, many on social media continue to question his innocence. In a recent Instagram post, the Hero actor responded to such trolls and slammed those who continue to doubt him despite the verdict.
‘Was only 20 years old when this incident happened’
He 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.”
‘People still choose to judge me and hold me guilty’
He added, “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. 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.”
Calling out those who continue to question his innocence, he wrote, “If, even after that, people still choose to judge me and hold me guilty, I honestly don’t know what more I can do. Just because I have chosen to remain silent all these years doesn’t give anyone the right to write whatever they want.”
‘Chose to protect her privacy despite everything’
Speaking about Jiah Khan and explaining why he chose to remain silent all these years, he wrote, “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. 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 🙏🏽”
About the Jiah Khan suicide case
Jiah Khan was found hanging at her residence in Mumbai’s Juhu on June 3, 2013. Soon after her death, police arrested Sooraj Pancholi based on a reported six-page letter allegedly written by Jiah. Sooraj was charged with abetment of suicide. He was arrested in June 2013 but was granted bail the following month. In his final statement before the court, Sooraj maintained that he had been falsely prosecuted. He was later acquitted in the case by the special CBI court.