The accused, Sooraj Pancholi, is currently out on bail. (File)
Rabia Khan, mother of Bollywood actor Jiah Khan, in her cross-examination before a special court in Mumbai on Monday refuted claims that her daughter had in the past tried to hurt herself by slashing her wrists.
Jiah Khan was found dead at her residence in June 2013. Actor Sooraj Pancholi, who was in a relationship with the 25-year-old actor, was booked for abetment of suicide in the case that was probed by the police as well as the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Sooraj Pancholi, the son of Bollywood couple Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab, is currently out on bail.
On Monday, Rabia Khan was cross-examined by Pancholi's advocate Prashant Patil before Special Judge A S Sayyad.
Mr Patil referred to a statement made by Rabia Khan to Mumbai police that in the past Jiah Khan had attempted to hurt herself by slashing her wrists thrice.
Refuting this, Rabia Khan said, "I did not say this. Nothing of this sort happened. The police made me say it. If the defence (Sooraj Pancholi's lawyer) is trying to make a statement that my daughter committed suicide then it is wrong." She claimed that Jiah Khan had hurt her wrist after some robbers had tried to snatch her watch outside their house.
Mr Patil also put forth questions of childhood trauma that Jiah Khan underwent in London, which too was refuted by Rabia Khan.
Rabia Khan said by asking questions about some incident that had happened in the past, the accused was trying to malign the image of her daughter.
Jiah Khan was best known for her performance in film 'Nishabd' starring Amitabh Bachchan.
The CBI case is that Jiah Khan died by suicide and the same was abetted by Sooraj Pancholi.
The CBI relied on a three-page note seized by Mumbai police on June 10, 2013, purportedly written by Jiah Khan, which narrated her "intimate relationship, physical abuse and mental and physical torture" allegedly at the hands of Sooraj Pancholi which led her to commit suicide.
Rabia Khan has, however, claimed this was a case of murder and not suicide.