Sooraj Pancholi was acquitted of actor Jiah Khan’s suicide case on Friday and the following day he visited the Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai. The special CBI court held him not guilty of any charges, citing a “paucity of evidence” against him. He was charged with abetting the suicide of actor Jiah Khan in 2013.
The actor has finally spoken up about his decade-long trial coming to an end and even got candid about his future plans.
Reflecting on his charges in the Jiah Khan suicide case the actor said, "This is no longer about justice but harassment. I just want her (Rabia Khan) to leave me alone. There is no need to seek revenge from me because I have done nothing wrong " ALSO READ | Jiah Khan Death Case Final Verdict: Sooraj Pancholi Spotted Leaving For CBI Court; Netizens Say ‘Dara Hua Toh Lag Ra Hai’
When asked for a reaction to what he was feeling today after being acquitted after 10-years, the actor said, “It’s a huge weight off my shoulders. These past 10 years, even when I was in a relationship, I couldn’t give it my hundred per cent because my future was uncertain. I can now plan my life. No matter what you have in life, peace is what you need the most, beyond fame, money and success.”
He continued, “I have not been at peace for the past 10 years. Every night before I slept, I thought about this. As I woke up, I thought about it and this happened to not just me, but my father (Aditya Pancholi), mother (Zarina Wahab) and sister (Sana). I am yet to come to terms with the fact that it is over. I am still getting used to me being a free man. It hasn’t sunk in yet.
After ten decades, the actor revealed that he was judged by people even before the court have their verdict. The actor also spoke up about facing media trial and said, “From the moment I stepped out of my house to the time I got back, I felt trapped, breathless, and judged every day. Especially in showbiz, perception is everything. At any event, I was the last person to reach and the first to leave. Even when they were probably not judging me, I felt that way.
“There was this constant pressure, a feeling that people don’t want to be around me or seen with me and that is the worst feeling ever… the thought of being unwanted. When this happened to me, I was not a part of the industry. I was accused in 2013 and my first film came out in 2015. I did sense a bit of hesitation and hostility. I was removed from projects. The films that I was working on were stopped midway. Every time I tried to move on, some fake reports in the media and vicious online trolling held me back.” ALSO READ | Sooraj Pancholi’s Mother Zarina Wahab REACTS To Jiah Khan’s Mom Rabia Khan Challenging Court’s Decision: ‘She Can Do Whatever She Wants’
Jiah Khan was found dead in her Mumbai home on June 3, 2013, and she was just 25. Sooraj was the main accused in her death case and was arrested by the Mumbai Police on June 10, 2013, after a letter written by Jiah was found in which she allegedly shared that Sooraj mentally and physically abused her. In July, Sooraj was granted bail.
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