(Image source from: hindustantimes.com)
Bollywood actor Sooraj Pancholi has spilled beans on the suicide case of his ex-girlfriend and actor Jiah Khan.
He shared a long post on Instagram on his 28th birthday on Friday in which he addressed the six years-long court case against him. He shared a picture of a hand holding two candles and told his side of the story in the caption.
Sooraj said he waited all this while to comment on the abetment to suicide charge against him as he wanted to wait until the case ended. However, since the case took far longer than expected, he decided to share his thoughts about it on social media.
He thanked the people who stood by him as he fought the case in courts 'with patience and respect'. He says he has been called a murderer, criminal and an abuser in the process and it has made him and his family sad. He said he hopes the trail would soon come to a fair end.
Read his full post here:
Today I complete 28 years of my life. I want to take up this moment to share a few thoughts that have been in my heart for a while. I wanted to wait to speak out until the case ended, but it's taken longer than expected. I don't know where to start from. It is difficult to express some feelings when so many people, so many emotions are involved. First, I want to thank those who have stood by me like a pillar of strength. It has been a long journey that started when I was still trying to understand life. I have been fighting the case in court for the last 6 years, with patience and respect, waiting for the trial to be completed. In this process, I have been called a murderer, a criminal, an abuser and so much worse. I read these things about me almost every single day. And my heartfelt effort has always been to be strong, respectful and ignore it. But they still fill my and my loved ones' heart with so much sadness. I don't blame the people who call me names, because that's how I have been portrayed in public, but I'm not the monster that has been portrayed in headlines. I know how easy it is to think the worst of someone and accuse them but it is exceptionally hard to prove myself innocent as there's a procedure that we need to follow. A procedure that has taken long enough that i have been made to feel guilty without even being given a fair chance to prove my innocence. There have been accusations and assumptions but there has been no validation.
But, this is not about what others say. This is about how I feel. For as long as I can remember, my dream has always been to make my parents proud. I have always tried to be a good son to them. In the last 6 years, I've tried harder every day to achieve this dream and to be positive.
So today, I am praying with my heart that our family can move forward, that the trial can come to a fair end and that I can give back all the love, support and strength I have received from so many of you.
Thank you to all of you who constantly send positivity my way. You may not know it, but every single one of your prayers has helped.
Actor Jiah Khan committed suicide in 2013 in her flat in Juhu, Mumbai, by hanging herself. She left a suicide note, in which she inculpated Sooraj for ruining her life. Sooraj, who made his Bollywood debut in 2015 with the film Hero, was charged with abetment to suicide in January. The trial began on February 17.
Sooraj Pancholi will shortly be seen with Isabella Kaif in Time To Dance.
-Sowmya
