Dead actor's mom Rabiya's lawyer says American help possible only with India's nod.
The Jiah Khan death case has now taken an international turn. Her mother Rabiya Khan on Wednesday claimed that the US government is willing to assist the police in their probe since her daughter was an American citizen.
Rabiya, a British passport holder, stated that she has received a letter to this effect. Jiah Khan was found dead at her Juhu home on June 3 last year.
Rabiya’s lawyer Dinesh Tiwari said the US can assist in the matter provided the Government of India (GoI) grants permission for the same. A US government representative will be meeting Rabiya on January 27 to discuss the case.
“When I saw the injustice of police in the case, I wrote to the prime minister, chief minister and home minister asking them to intervene in Jiah’s case. Since Jiah was a US citizen, I had also approached the American consulate seeking their intervention,” Rabiya said, adding that she told the US authorities that the police are sabotaging evidence in the case and have not probed it in a fair manner.
“I received their reply four days ago. The US government official sent me an email, saying they will write to the Indian police and will assist in the case. On January 27, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officer will meet me and discuss the issue,” she said.
Rabiya said since the US agencies have superior technology they can help in the forensic probe.
The email sent by the US government official to Rabiya stated, “While the FBI cannot conduct unilateral investigations outside the US, it can review your daughter’s case in an advisory role if requested by the Indian law enforcement.”
It further stated that, the FBI’s National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC) provides operational support to the US and international law enforcement for a range of unusual violent crimes.
“Some of the services provided include crime analysis, profiles of unknown offenders, offender motivation, linkage analysis, investigative suggestions, interview strategies, search warrant affidavit assistance, prosecution and trial strategies and expert testimony. Of course, Indian authorities would have to directly request assistance in response to the FBI officer,” it said.
Rabiya said though the high court had asked the police to re-investigate the case, the police didn’t inform her about their findings. “They simply took my statement on October 26 and didn’t act as per the orders of the HC,” she alleged.
“I showed Jiah’s post-mortem report and its videography to various renowned doctors from abroad and they have an opinion that it was a case of homicide and not suicide, as claimed by the Mumbai police. The police have worked under some pressure and will take the name of the person behind this at an appropriate time,” she said.
She was also upset with the police for making up stories following Jiah’s death. “Jiah never wrote she was committing suicide. Her letters were made suicide letter by the police. A best wishes bouquet sent by Sooraj Pancholi to Jiah after she signed a film was termed as a breakup bouquet. We were never informed by the police that they have filed a charge sheet in the case,” she said.
Advocate Tiwari said they would move the HC against the charge sheet and will demand a probe by another agency.
Events of last seven months in a nutshell
June 3, 2013: Jiah Khan found hanging from a ceiling fan in a bedroom of her Juhu residence
June 10, 2013: The Juhu police arrest Suraj Pancholi on charge of abetment to suicide considering the six-page suicide note and her mother’s statement to the police. Andheri metropolitan court remands Pancholi in police custody till June 13
June 14, 2013: The sessions court adjourns the bail hearing of Pancholi to June 21. The court asks police to file their reply by June 21
June 21, 2013: Session court judge SV Jagtap rejects Pancholi’s bail plea
June 27, 2013: Pancholi approaches Bombay high court seeking bail
July 2, 2013: High court grants bail to Pancholi
October 2013: Jiah Khan’s mother wants case to be transferred to CBI
October 23, 2013: High court directs police to re-investigate the case
January 16, 2014: Police file charge sheet in the case
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