Mumbai: Actor Sooraj Pancholi has opposed Rabiya Khan’s petition in the Bombay High Court seeking a fresh probe into her actor-daughter Jiah Khan’s death, saying she is trying to delay the trial which is nearing its end, reports Rosy Sequeira.

The trial began on January 1, 2018, and 16 witnesses have been examined. Rabiya’s cross-examination is on. “The trial is at its fag-end and if the present petition is allowed, there will be complete miscarriage of justice. The sole intention of the petitioner is to delay the trial by filing frivolous and baseless petitions/applications,” his reply said.

Rabiya, 62, who claims Jiah was murdered, moved the HC after the CBI court in September 2021 rejected her plea for an SIT for further investigations. On June 3, 2013, she found Jiah hanging from the ceiling fan. Pancholi is being tried for abetment to Jiah’s suicide.

Stating that there has been “no change in circumstances” since the HC’s February 2017 order dismissing her third petition for further probe, Pancholi urged dismissal of Rabiya’s latest petition relying on a May 2019 review report of a UK law firm. Her advocate is associated with the firm and therefore the report “is not independent”.