Actor Jiah Khan’s mother Rabia Khan told the trial court in Mumbai on Thursday, August 19 that her daughter 'has been murdered' and this is 'not a case of suicide.' After Jiah khan had passed away nine years ago, Rabia khan had knocked every door that she could and the investigation was transferred from Mumbai police to CBI but both the agencies had concluded that it was a case of suicide and actor Sooraj Pancholi had allegedly abetted the act.

During the trial, Rabia Khan started deposing on August 17 and it ended only after the daylong hearing on Aug 18. During the deposition, Rabia broke down twice and had to be given time before she could start speaking again.

Rabia narrated the whole incident that took place on the day Jiah Khan was found hanging at her residence on June 3, 2013. Describing the scene that she witnessed, Rabia said, "I first walked into Jiah’s bedroom. The lights in her bedroom were on. I didn’t find her there. I thought she was in the bathroom because her hand bag was on the dressing table and the lights were also on. I called her name. I didn’t hear her. I tested if the bathroom door was locked, but to my surprise it was open and I walked in. The lights were all on and she was not there. Through the bathroom, I slide opened the door of the guest bedroom. As I opened the door, I saw Jiah was hanging by the muslin dupatta. I screamed 'God who did this to her'."

After a small emotional break, Rabia began again and said, “I quickly ran, saw her feet were touching the sides of the bed about two-three inches below. I held her feet and put them back on the bed and ran outside. I was screaming for help. Then I ran back again. I left the main door open. I was screaming. I was helpless. I tried to climb the bed, thinking I could rescue her. I tried to open the knot which was on the right side behind her right ear and her face was tilted to the right. Her eyes were closed, her mouth was closed. It looked like she was sleeping. I touched her hands, they were warm, I observed the blinds of the room were down and the air conditioning was on. When I found her, she was wearing her night dress, blue and white cotton shirt. I looked at her and observed that the muslin cloth was tied around the neck but below the chin. There were injuries under her chin."

She furthed added, "I took my phone and I called whatever numbers were there on the phone chronologically. The first number was of Anju Mahendru. I was screaming on the phone, 'please come, my baby has gone.' In ten mins Anju with Moin Beig came since the door was open and I was sitting holding my daughter’s feet trying to keep it against gravity. Moin quickly got on the bed since he was tall and he untied the knot around the neck. That moment I told Anju, 'Look at the injuries. I told her not to be with Sooraj.' She said Rabia, shut up, this is suicide. I told her, no my daughter will not do this, look at the injuries.”

Moin laid Jiah on the bed and Khan tried to resuscitate Jiah. Khan said, “There was a water bottle near the bed. Anju poured some water on her face. I tried to put pressure on her chest. I tried to give Jiah breathe to breathe. Meanwhile, Moin ran to call for doctor and soon doctor Ramesh Agarwal came, he’s a family doctor. As soon as the doctor checked her, he declared that 'she’s no more.' And that someone should call the police. I was uncontrollably crying. I took a legging from the drawer and I put it on her to cover her legs because Anju was telling me to cover her legs because everyone was coming."

In the court Khan identified the cloths that Jiah was wearing, the leggings and the muslin dupatta. She said that “after sometime, the police came and an officer who checked the crime scene, saw that the windows had no grills and the balcony was very low from the ground because the flat was on the first floor. He immediately said “It seems like a foul play." Then he observed an abrasion on Jiah’s chin and asked Anju 'Was it your bangle that had hit Jiah.” She said 'No. I have not touched.' Then later some more policemen came and took Jiah to the Cooper hospital and told me to stay back. Jiah’s managers Nidhi and Anjali went along with her."

Rabia recounted that accused Sooraj Pancholi’s father, Aditya Pancholi, walked into the house with Moin. "As soon as he came, he fell at my feet and said sorry 'my son has ruined his life, career.' Jiah was a child. Both Anju, Beig and Aditya went to the room where Jiah was found. I was in the lounge with other friends and crying. I told him that I had told Jiah many times to stay away from Sooraj. When I mentioned Sooraj’s name, Mahendra told me not to mention his name."

Khan told the court that she was not feeling well and wanted to take some rest. But later finished her deposition. Advocates Shekhar Jagtap and Sairuchita Chowdhry appearing for Khan told the court that initially she had planned to fly back to London on Aug 19 but since her deposition took a while, so she would adjust and stay back a few more days. However, with advocate Prashant Patil appearing for Pancholi seeking time to prepare his questions for cross examination, the court adjourned the hearing to Monday, August 22.

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