It has been six months since Sheezan Khan stepped out of jail and he is gradually rebuilding his life. The actor became a topic of discussion after the alleged suicide of his Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul co-actor Tunisha Sharma on December 24, 2022, and his subsequent arrest (Tunisha’s mother accused him of abetting her daughter’s suicide). He talks to us about what he went through weeks after his release and people’s perception of him.

Arrested on December 24, 2022, Sheezan was released on bail on March 5 this year. He says, “Jail is a place that breaks you, not just once, but every day. Every minute feels endless. It is bizarre to see people fretting over trivial issues. Irrespective of the gravity of one’s problems, everything ceases to matter when you have a bed, blanket and pillow to sleep on. You can’t be more fortunate than that. I had to come out of that place sane.”

Difficult times serve as a litmus test for relationships, and Sheezan was shocked when he learnt that some people he considered close had abandoned him. He shares, “Many turned their backs on me because they were worried about their reputation, while others were busy sensationalizing the story instead of waiting for the truth to come out. In the process, my family was unfairly dragged into controversies. They received so much hatred for no fault of theirs. It was a very dark moment for me. However, I overcame that phase. Besides, I have nothing to hide and have never wronged anyone. All I knew was that my family and lawyer Shailendra Mishra were fighting for me. I had full faith in them and the judiciary.”

Talking about what he went through in the weeks after his release from jail, he shares, “I broke down when my bail plea was rejected in January, fearing that I could be languishing inside for a year or more. After being released on bail, I couldn’t sleep properly for 70 days. I felt like a stranger in my own home and would often cry for hours. I was diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). I’m grateful to my family for standing by me through this ordeal.”

Such incidents can often be detrimental to one’s career. However, Sheezan feels fortunate that the industry people didn’t let their opinion of him get clouded by the incident. He says, “I feel blessed that I got a second chance in life. Fortunately, the industry’s perception of me didn’t change. Of course, even today, some people have an issue ki ‘yeh jee kaise raha hai, khush kaise hai, ya kaam kaise kar raha hai’. However, I don’t care about being judged by anyone except the court.”

After his arrest in December last year, the makers of Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul had no choice but to bring Abhishek Nigam as his replacement to play the new Ali. While that was inevitable, what upset Sheezan was being approached for a cameo appearance in the show shortly after his release. He recalls, “After I came out, I was offered a cameo in my own show; the one I nurtured from the beginning and put my heart and soul into. I was so hurt that it triggered a panic attack. I guess I was approached to give the much-needed hype to the show. I declined the offer.”

When we ask him about Tunisha, he says, “The place she held in my life cannot be described in words. Those who know us know that she meant the world to me. I am not afraid to admit that her untimely demise has left a void that can never be filled. If she had been here, she would have been my unbreakable shield. She’ll forever be my Tunni, someone I deeply cared for. A part of Sheezan has gone with her.”

He wants to put his past behind him and do well on the work front. “I look forward to the quashing of the case against me and have full faith in my lawyer Shailendra Mishra,” he says, adding, “As an artiste, I want to be challenged. There is a dearth of male-oriented shows on television and after Ali Baba, I have become greedy for quality work and substantial characters. I aspire to raise the bar with every performance.”

Actor Shafaq Naaz, sister of actor Sheezan Khan, who was accused of abetting co-star Tunisha Sharma’s suicide, shared on Instagram how the “last six months have been a horrifying nightmare”. In the post, Naaz mentioned that there were times she abused herself. Now, in an exclusive chat with HT City, she shares that she’s still “struggling to process what happened”.

Naaz elaborates, “At times, it’s all so overwhelming. No one has any idea what I am going through. People have created an image of me and my family. Every time I go on social media, I see such harsh comments against us. They don’t think before writing things like, ‘Yeh toh murderer ki behen hai’. I can’t say mujhe farak nahin padta. It breaks me.”

On top of this hatred online, it’s the behaviour by her own fraternity that is bothering Naaz. “Everyone was aware about what we were going through. All I expected from them (the industry) was to show support and have faith in me. But, I didn’t get any of that,” says Naaz, revealing that she even lost out on two projects during this tough phase because of her weight.

Owing to the unrealistic expectations along with the negativity on social media, the Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin actor reached a stage where she resorted to self-harm. “In the process of understanding what’s happening around you, you end up doing things that you would not otherwise do. Also, when you have people around to look after, your own well-being takes a back-seat. That’s what happened in my case. My family became my priority. But, now I’m really trying to move out of this phase and taking help because I’m unable to deal with this alone... I don’t want to be called a bechari. I just want everyone to know that an actors’ life is not all glitter,” she concludes.

Actor Sheezan Khan got a huge relief on Wednesday after the Vasai court in Mumbai allowed the temporary return of his passport. Sheezan, who has spent 70 days in jail on the charge of abetting his former girlfriend Tunisha Sharma’s alleged suicide, is currently out on bail. He had applied for his impounded passport to be released to participate in the upcoming season of Khatron Ke Khiladi, for which he will have to travel abroad.

Sheezan’s lawyer Shailendra Mishra said,“ We are grateful to the honourable court that has permitted Sheezan to travel abroad for Khatron Ke Khiladi.”

Sheezan added: “I had full faith that justice wouldn’t be denied.”

The actor’s sister, Falaq Naaz, who was also present at the hearing, said, “I am delighted that my brother will be able to earn his livelihood again.”

Sheezan was arrested after Tunisha’s mother filed a complaint alleging that he had abetted the actress’ suicide. Tunisha reportedly died by suicide on the set of their TV show, Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul on December 24.

Almost two months after he was released on bail in the Tunisha Sharma death case, things have started to look up for actor Sheezan Khan. He has been offered the stunt-based reality show, Khatron Ke Khiladi. However, the show involves travelling abroad and if he can do that will depend on whether the Vasai sessions court gives him the clearance when the matter comes up for hearing today.

Sheezan was arrested for abetment of suicide on December 25, 2022, based on a complaint filed by Tunisha’s mother, Vanita Sharma. A day earlier, the actress had died, reportedly by suicide, on the set of the TV show, Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul, which starred both Tunisha and Sheezan. The two were in a relationship and had split around two weeks before Tunisha’s death. After spending 70 days in jail, Sheezan finally got bail on March 5.

During his time in jail, Sheezan was replaced by actor Abhishek Nigam in Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul.

Tunisha’s mother reacted to the news of Sheezan being approached for Khatron Ke Khiladi and released a statement to us that said: “We will oppose Sheezan’s application today to release his passport. I have heard that Sheezan has been offered reality shows, including Khatron Ke Khiladi. What message are channels wanting to impart to society by giving a chance to someone who is an undertrial for a serious offense under section 306 of IPC and against whom the police have submitted a charge sheet of 524 pages? Log TV par apne favourite actors ko dekhkar unko apna idol bana lete hain aur unke jaise banne ki koshish karte hain. I request TV channels and makers to not glorify anyone who has not been proven innocent.”

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A month after getting bail in the Tunisha Sharma death case, the prime accused, actor Sheezan Khan, filed an application in Maharashtra’s Vasai court on Monday, seeking the return of his passport, which was seized during the investigation. The court will hear Khan’s application today.

According to sources, in his application, Khan stated that he needed to fly abroad for shootings.

The Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul actor was arrested in December last year and was under judicial custody before being released on bail from Thane Central Jail on March 5. The Vasai Court had ordered Sheezan’s bail with a Rs. 1 lakh surety bond and had asked the actor to submit his passport as well.

Khan was reportedly dating his co-star Tunisha, who died by suicide at the show’s set a fortnight after the duo broke up their months-long relationship. Within hours of the actor’s death, Khan was arrested on charges of abetment to suicide.

Tunisha’s mother, Vanita Sharma, levelled allegations against Khan, stating that he used to beat her daughter and force her to adopt Islamic practises.

However, Khan’s family had claimed that he had been falsely implicated in the case by the late actor’s mother and further claimed that the 21-year-old was like “family” to them.

Later, Khan’s sister and co-actor Falaq Naaz reportedly accused Tunisha’s mother of “neglecting” her, and the actor’s depression was due to her childhood trauma.

“Tunisha’s mother accepted that she had been neglecting her daughter and didn’t take care of her. Tunisha’s depression was due to her childhood trauma,” stated Falaq Naaz.

After a whirlwind of controversy, there’s finally some good news for Shafaqq Naaz and her family. We have exclusively learnt that the actor is set to get engaged towards the end of this month.

A source close to the Chidiya Ghar actor confirms that it’s an “arranged-turned-love” marriage: “They are currently deciding the date and venue. Everything happened on such short notice. Everyone’s very happy with it and hoping that things work out fine.”

About her fiancé, who “doesn’t belong to the industry”, the source tells us, “His family is very wary of the media. So, they don’t really wish to be in the limelight.”

Another source reveals that the two have been dating for almost two-and-a-half years and that the “guy is a businessman from Muscat (Oman)”.

When contacted, Naaz said, “We’ve not decided [anything]... I don’t want to comment on it.”

Naaz is the sister of actor Sheezan Khan, who found himself at the centre of actor Tunisha Sharma’s suicide case.

When Sheezan Khan walked out of the Thane Central Jail on Saturday, 70 days after he was arrested for abetment to suicide in the Tunisha Sharma death case, his mother and sisters were eagerly waiting for him to return home. They hugged and cried as the family reunited after over two months.

Speaking exclusively to Bombay Times, Sheezan said, “Today, I understand the true meaning of freedom and I can feel it. I was in tears the moment I saw my mother and sisters and I am so happy to be back with them.”

Sheezan said, “Finally, I am with my family! It’s an overwhelming feeling. All I want to do for a few days is lie in my mother’s lap, eat food cooked by her and spend time with my sisters and brother.”

Sheezan was arrested on December 25, a day after his Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul co-actor Tunisha died of suicide on the sets of the show. The two were said to be in a relationship and had apparently split just 15 days before her death.

When asked about Tunisha, Sheezan said, “I miss her and if she was alive, she would have fought for me.”

Sheezan’s sister, actress Falaq Naaz, said, “We are happy that he is back. We will need some time to process this. Sheezan is finally out, and we are grateful to everyone who stood by us.”

Their lawyer, Shailendra Mishra, added, “It’s nice to see the family together after more than two months. Our case regarding the quashing of the FIR against Sheezan is scheduled to come up for hearing in the High Court on March 9.”

Mumbai: In the detailed order releasing actor Sheezan Khan on bail on Saturday, the district and additional sessions judge of Vasai court observed that even after filing the chargesheet, police have not been able to bring on record as to what really happened between the alleged accused and victim Tunisha Sharma, in the last 10 minutes before she was found hanging last December.

Khan and Tunisha were lead actors in a TV serial and had briefly dated. On December 24, 2022, Tunisha was found hanging in the washroom of Khan’s makeup room in a Naigaon studio. Khan was arrested the next day after Tunisha’s mother Vanita filed a complaint. He was lodged in Thane jail since December 31. On February 16, Valiv police filed a chargesheet of abetment of suicide against him. He was granted bail on Saturday.

On Sunday, Khan walked out of jail and was received by his family members.

In his bail order, judge R D Deshpande observed that while it is true police are still carrying on the investigation, he did not “find any extraordinary circumstances to keep Khan behind the bars for an inordinate period”.

He said that considering congestion in jails of undertrials who are facing serious charges like murder, the case of this applicant is not likely to be taken up for hearing in near future. The judge said that objections raised by the prosecution regarding tampering with evidence can be taken care of if some conditions are imposed upon Khan.

The court further said that as per the prosecution and complainant, Tunisha’s mobile phones sent to the regional forensic science laboratory in Pune are not opening. The court observed that this aspect is to be dealt with by the prosecution and the laboratory officials. The court also observed that the earlier bail was rejected as the probe was at a crucial stage.

The court observed that the statements of the material witnesses have been recorded and are part of the police chargesheet. The prosecution pointed out that Khan’s driver and a witness are untraceable, but defence lawyer Shailendra Mishra informed the court that the phone numbers of the two witnesses have been shared with police. The driver will be in Mumbai in two to three days to record his statement, Mishra told the court.

The court directed that Khan shall not make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the accusations against him so as to dissuade him from disclosing such facts to the court.

Sheezan Khan, who was arrested on December 24, 2022, for abetment to suicide in the Tunisha Sharma case, was granted bail by Vasai Sessions Court yesterday. Tunisha reportedly died by suicide on December 24 on the set of the TV show, Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul. Sheezan, who played the lead opposite Tunisha, was arrested following a complaint by her mother, Vanita Sharma.

His lawyer, Shailendra Mishra, told us, “Sheezan has been granted bail on a surety of Rs. 1,00,000. All I can say is that there is no evidence against him. This is just the beginning, and we will fight it out till the end.”

The case regarding the quashing of the FIR against Sheezan is scheduled to come up for hearing in High Court on March 9. Sheezan’s sister Falaq Naaz says, “Sach ki jeet hui hai, and we are certain that we will be granted relief by the High Court as well. We are waiting for Sheezan to return home after 70 days.”

On behalf of Vanita Sharma, Tunisha’s uncle Pawan Sharma said, “It’s a legal process. However, this won’t deter us and we will fight till Tunisha gets justice. Jab tak insaaf nahi milega, hum aise hi fight karenge. Our case is strong.”

Manul Chudasama, the new Mariam in the TV show Ali Baba Ek Andaaz Andekha: Chapter 2, is prepared for comparisons that come with replacing Tunisha Sharma, who reportedly died by suicide on December 24 on the set of the show. Subsequently, Sheezan Khan, who played the original male lead, was arrested for abetment to suicide following a complaint by Tunisha’s mother. While there was buzz that the makers wouldn’t bring in another actress to play Tunisha’s role, there was a change of plan recently and Manul was roped in for the part.

Acknowledging that being compared to Tunisha is beyond her control, Manul says, “That is bound to happen. While being compared is beyond my control, I’m determined to give my 100 per cent and do justice to the character. I want to come 99 per cent close to how Tunisha played the part because I can’t take that one per cent away from her. If I manage to do that, it will be a big win.”

The actress, who has earlier been part of shows like Ek Thi Rani Ek Tha Raavan, Tenali Rama and Brij Ke Gopal, says she was nervous about accepting the offer because Tunisha played the character beautifully, and the audience got used to watching her as Mariam.

Manul says, “What happened is unfortunate, and I feel extremely sorry about it. The original lead couple did a great job at establishing the show. Everyone in the unit misses Tunisha, as she was sweet, and that’s the impact she left on people.”

“However, we have no choice but to accept the sad reality that she is no more,” says Manul, adding, “I don’t intend to step into Tunisha’s shoes because nobody can. Every actor brings a certain uniqueness to a character. Everybody is used to seeing her aur ab mujhe meri jagah banaani hai unke dil mein. It’s a huge responsibility.”

Incidentally, Manul was paired opposite Sheezan Khan in Ek Thi Rani Ek Tha Raavan. Talking about sharing screen space with him, she says, “We shared a professional equation. He is a talented actor.”

Mumbai: Actor Sheezan Khan knew about co-star Tunisha Sharma’s anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) issues and had even advised her to seek medical help, yet got into a relationship with her and broke up against her wishes. Over 60 days after Khan (28) was arrested for abetment of suicide (Tunisha’s), Vasai’s Valiv police in their chargesheet submitted in local court on Thursday stated that the sudden break-up led to Tunisha’s emotional breakdown. She tried to reason with him, but he fought with her and caused her mental trauma, the document, running over 500 pages, said.

Tunisha (21) was found hanging in the washroom of Khan’s make-up room in a Naigaon studio on December 24, 2022. Both were lead actors in the serial Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul. Khan (28) has been in Thane jail since December 31. His plea for quashing the FIR against him is likely to be heard by the Bombay high court on February 23. His bail plea is listed before the HC for March 14. His bail was rejected by the Vasai court on January 13.

The serial’s shooting began in June. In October, Tunisha confided in her mother, Vanita, about her relationship with co-star Khan. She told Vanita she visited Khan’s Malad home and his mother and sisters — both TV actors — treated her well. Vanita in her police statement (part of the chargesheet) said Khan visited their Mira Road house three to four times. Khan told Vanita he loved Tunisha. Vanita saidthat about two weeks before the suicide, Tunisha was upset and crying, and told her Khan had broken up. Vanita said she called Khan’s mother, who said she too was upset.

The chargesheet contains a statement of the doctor who treated Tunisha in a Kandivli hospital where she went after a panic attack on December 16. Her physical and mental health was poor, the doctortold Vanita. Tunisha was discharged the same evening but kept crying, asking Vanita to speak to Khan. On December 23, Vanita met Khan, who told her and also Tunisha he will not reconsider getting back.

The chargesheet includes statements of Tunisha’s costars, a paper chit scribbled by Tunisha, and CCTV footage showing Khan leaving his room and Tunisha following him minutes before her death by suicide. It also contains WhatsApp chats obtained from Tunisha’s phone showing the two in a relationship and their break-up (Tunisha continued to message him after the break-up, but Khan did not respond) and deleted chats of Khan in which he chatted with other women.

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Police have filed a chargesheet in the case related to the alleged suicide of actor Tunisha Sharma in a court in Palghar district of Maharashtra, an official said. Her co-actor and ex-boyfriend Sheezan Khan (28) was arrested for alleged abetment of suicide. Valiv (a place in Palghar district near Mumbai) police filed the chargesheet in the Vasai sessions court on Thursday, the local police official said, without disclosing further details. It contains call details, chats and other communications exchanged between Sharma and Khan, he said.

Sharma (21) was found hanging in the washroom of Khan’s makeup room on December 24 last year. The incident took place on the set of a TV serial near Valiv. Khan is currently in judicial custody. Sharma and Khan, who were in a relationship but later parted ways, were co-stars in the TV show Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul.

Replacements aren’t easy. For Abhishek Nigam, who agreed to step into Sheezan Khan’s shoes to play the new Ali Baba on TV, it was even tougher. Sheezan is currently in judicial custody. He was arrested on December 25 for abetment to suicide of his co-actor Tunisha Sharma. On December 24, the actress reportedly died by suicide in her make-up room on the set of their show Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul, which has now been renamed Ali Baba - Ek Andaaz Andekha - Chapter 2. The unit resumed the shoot five days after the tragic incident and the makers began hunting for a new male lead, which ended with Abhishek.

In an exclusive interview with BT, Abhishek speaks about the responsibility on his shoulders, his apprehensions before taking up the show and the bond he shared with Tunisha, with whom he had worked in a show earlier. Excerpts:

Of course, there were apprehensions. Even if it is a regular role, one contemplates the pros and cons of the offer. I sought everyone’s advice and realised that I didn’t have any reason to decline the offer. The circumstances have been unfortunate, but we make a show with a lot of love and hard work. Iske peeche ek insaan ka haath nahi hota, bahut logon ki kadi mehnat hoti hai. I went ahead with that emotion. The previous lead couple has done an amazing job. I realised that I would have to put in a lot of hard work while playing this character and I took the plunge with that resolution. I am sure our dedication will pay off.

Uncomfortable se zyada, responsibility wala khayaal haavi tha. I was nervous and scared initially because the decision to come on board was made overnight. Whenever I was nervous, the director and the cast encouraged me. Everyone has been supportive, warm and understanding. They didn’t make me feel like a newcomer.

While we have to experience the pain, life is also about moving on. Everyone is working hard and trying to keep the atmosphere on the set positive. We are looking at the bigger picture and thinking about the number of people dependent on the show for a living. Of course, mushkil toh hoti hai par usse aagey nikalna hai.

Irrespective of the nature of the replacement, comparisons are normal and inevitable. The audience finds it difficult to warm up to a new face. However, if you are diligent and portray the character with conviction, you will strike a chord with the viewer. Our thought process has been to infuse a fresh approach to the show. Though the core emotion has been retained, my character is different from the previous one. It is more energetic and quirkier.

I worked with Tunisha in Hero - Gayab Mode On and later, in a music video. She was fun-loving and had great energy. I knew her for many years. She was hardworking, talented, a quick learner and easy to work with. I was in shock and disbelief when I heard the news of her untimely demise. It took me a lot of time to come to terms with it. She had a bright future and if she were alive, she would have made it big in the industry. All my memories of Tunisha are of her smiling around me. I had worked with Sheezan long ago. He is also hardworking, focused and dedicated to his craft and fitness.

I’d refrain from sharing my opinion, as I don’t want it to affect the case. A lot is going on already. I don’t want to give an opinion that results in something unwanted.

Mumbai: TV actor Sheezan Khan, accused in the death case of his co-star and former girlfriend Tunisha Sharma, on Monday filed a bail petition in the Bombay High Court seeking to quash the FIR filed against him in the case.

The hearing for his plea is on January 30. Earlier, on January 13, the Vasai court had rejected Khan’s bail plea saying, “Sheezan and Tunisha broke their relationship on December 15, after which she died of a panic attack. It has also been revealed that Sheezan was the last person to meet Tunisha before she died.”

The actor has been in judicial custody. Khan’s family claims he has been falsely implicated in the case by the late actor’s mother, and that Tunisha was like a “family” to them. Khan was reportedly dating Tunisha, who was allegedly found hanging at a TV serial set on December 24, a fortnight after the two reportedly broke up.

Mumbai: Actor Sheezan Khan, who is in jail for allegedly abetting the suicide of co-actor Tunisha Sharma, had not cooperated during custodial interrogation, had deleted some WhatsApp chats and was also in a position to threaten material witnesses if released on bail, a court in Palghar has said.

The details of the Vasai court's January 13 order rejecting the bail plea of Khan was made available on Thursday.

The order also said, “just prior to the alleged incident, something is appeared to have happened between them in the make-up room of the applicant, which forced her to commit suicide”.

Sharma was found hanging on the sets of a TV serial on December24 and Khan was held the next day for abetment to suicide. He is in judicial custody at present and had approached the court for bail.

Additional Sessions Judge R D Deshpande, in his order, said, “According to prosecution, the applicant (Khan) did not cooperate during custodial interrogation, and did not tell anything about the dialogue between him and the deceased from 2 pm to 2:45 pm (on the day of the incident) and that is the main cause in the commission of suicide by deceased Tunisha.”

The court said investigation in the death was in progress, and it was a “matter of concern for the prosecution that the applicant has deleted WhatsApp chats and messages between him, the deceased and his friends”.

The mobile phones of Khan and Sharma had been sent to the foren-sic laboratory in Mumbai for retrieval of deleted messages, and it also needs to be probed if the accused had deceived more girls in a similar fashion, the court order said.

The order also said the witnesses in the case were co-stars of Khan, who is the main character in the serial, and “it is likely if he comes out at this stage then he is likely to threaten the material witnesses from telling truth to the police”.

The applicant can cause “disturbance in the investigation” and “serious prejudice would be caused to the prosecution” if he is given bail as statements of material witnesses were yet to be recorded under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the order said.

“Under such circumstances and to give reasonable and proper opportunity of carrying out fair investigation to the prosecution, applicant needs to be behind the bars for some more period,” the judge said in the order.

The order said the accused kept “relations with her for a period of two months and immediately broke up such relationship”.

As per the court's order, the deceased followed Khan to the main gate of the studio (where the serial was being shot) at 2:45 pm and then returned and hanged herself in the make-up room.

One chit has also been recovered during the course of investigation on which the name of applicant is written in English along with the words 'he is blessed to have me as a co-actor woohooo', the order rejecting Khan's bail said.

Mumbai: District and additional sessions judge of the Vasai court R D Deshpande on Friday rejected bail to television actor Sheezan Khan, accused of abetment of suicide of his costar Tunisha Sharma on December 24. Khan’s lawyer Shailendra Mishra said they will move the Bombay High Court for bail after obtaining a copy of the order. Khan, who was arrested by the Valiv police on December 25, has been lodged in Thane prison since December 31.

Mishra said the court rejected the bail based on the ‘last seen theory’, wherein the accused is the last person spotted with the victim. Tunisha was found hanging in the washroom of Khan’s room at Bhajanlal studios in Naigaon. Both were lead actors in the show Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul. Video footage obtained by cops from the studios on the day of the suicide, showed Khan leaving his room for a shoot and Tunisha following him. Mid-way, she returns to her room and then walks into Khan’s room.

The couple, who were dating, after the show went on air in August 2022, broke up in early December. Tunisha’s mother Vanita’s advocate Tarun Sharma said they have maintained the ‘last seen theory’ as Khan was not coming clean on what transpired between them before she took the extreme step.

A video of Khan along with two staffers taking Tunisha to the Fever and Brain Multispeciality Hospital in Naigaon had also surfaced. Khan was detained by cops in the hospital and his cell phone was seized. 

Khan’s lawyer said that his client was innocent and could not be blamed for the suicide. He said that Tunisha’s laptop, which could provide some leads in the case, is yet to be found.

Khan got a relief when the court allowed him to keep his long hair — the look of his show — while in judicial custody. Vanita’s lawyer had opposed the move.

Sheezan has now been replaced in the show. Vanita’s lawyer told the court that Khan’s custody was needed as it is still not clear what transpired between the two actors before she allegedly committed suicide.

It’s confirmed! Sheezan Khan has been replaced by Abhishek Nigam to play Ali Baba in Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul. Informs a source associated with the show, “The story currently revolves around a masked man and it will be revealed that he is Abhishek.”

Talking about how the story will roll out, the source reveals, “It will be shown that Ali was gravely injured and was healed, after which he got a new face through an ancient technique.”

The show, Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul, has been in the news after the tragic death of the lead actress Tunisha Sharma. The 20-year-old reportedly died by suicide in a make-up room on the set of the show. 

Subsequently, Sheezan Khan was arrested for abetment to suicide following a complaint lodged by Tunisha’s mother, Vanita Sharma. The actor is currently in judicial custody, and an order regarding his bail plea is expected to be passed on January 13.

Actor Sheezan Khan’s bail hearing in the Tunisha Sharma death case on Monday saw high drama when his lawyer claimed in court that Tunisha was on a 15-minute video call with someone named Ali just before she allegedly died by suicide on the sets of her TV show on December 24. Shailendra Mishra, the lawyer, further claimed that Tunisha had joined a dating app after her breakup with Sheezan and had met Ali on the app. They had even gone out on a date and were together on December 21, 22 and 23, according to Mishra.

Sheezan’s bail petition in Mumbai’s Vasai court has been adjourned till today (January 11).

When Bombay Times reached out to Tunisha’s mother, Vanita Sharma, she denied knowledge of her daughter being on a dating app but said that “she was trying to move on”. However, she confirmed that she knew about Ali.

“Tunisha had called me and said that she was meeting Ali, her gym trainer from three years ago. She went out with him in the last three days to eat out and chat. They were just friends and met thrice in December. Ab sab Ali ki galti ho gayi? Tunisha told me about meeting him but as friends. Sheezan’s lawyer claimed that my daughter didn’t return home on December 21, 22 and 23 – but that isn’t true,” said Vanita.

She added that Ali had met her on the day of Tunisha’s cremation. “He told us that Tunisha had spoken to him about Sheezan, among other things. His statement has been recorded by the police. Also, what is the big deal if she had met him? She had even met one of her former co-actors and had attended a party hosted by another actor. I don’t think Sheezan’s family and the lawyer have any option but to make these wild accusations to shift the focus from the actual issue, which is that she was disturbed because of the breakup,” said Vanita.

Actor Sheezan Khan’s lawyers claimed that Tunisha Sharma was dating another man and added that their client was not responsible for her death. Advocates Shailendra Mishra and Sharad Rai, representing Khan who has been accused of abetting the suicide of Sharma, told the Vasai court on Monday that Sharma had allegedly spoken to the other man, identified as Ali, before she took her own life on December 24.

Waliv police will now verify the claims and interrogate Ali. During the bail hearing, the lawyers further told the court that Sharma had allegedly met Ali, a gym instructor from Mira Road, on a dating application and that she was with him in the days before the incident.

“Sheezan is innocent. He is not involved in Tunisha Sharma’s suicide. Sharma used to be his girlfriend but they had broken up. When we met Sheezan in custody, he told us that Sharma was meeting someone named Ali,” the lawyers said.

Senior Inspector Kailas Barve of Waliv police station said, “During investigation, we learnt that Sharma met Ali on a dating application. We also found out that she was with Ali on December 21, 22 and 23. When we recorded Ali’s statement earlier, he confirmed the same. He also said that Sharma had told her about her break up with Khan. However, Khan’s lawyers on Monday told the court that Sharma spoke with Ali for 15 minutes on a video call a while before she took the extreme step. We are going to check this with her call detail records.”

Advocate Mishra told mid-day, “We need justice for our client Sheezan Khan who is innocent. The cops registered a false case and arrested him illegally. He is not involved in the suicide. In fact, Sharma was dating someone else at that time. We have submitted all relevant documents to the court. Khan should get bail and the court should ensure that his reputation is not impacted.”

When 20-year-old Tunisha Sharma died tragically on December 24 and a day later, her co-actor Sheezan Khan was arrested for abetment to suicide, everyone thought that their TV show Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul would be pulled off air abruptly. The two were the lead actors and given that television shows barely have banked episodes, it would be difficult for the show to continue.

But the production house and channel have decided to continue the show and have managed to do that by focusing on other actors and different tracks. A channel official confirmed, “The show is definitely not going off-air. It will continue.”

Tunisha reportedly died by suicide on the sets of Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul in Naigaon. Her mother lodged a complaint against Sheezan, post that the was arrested and is currently in judicial custody.

The hunt for lead actors is on, but we hear that Tunisha’s character will not be replaced. Instead, they will bring in someone to play a new character. For the male lead, Alibaba, which was essayed by Sheezan, there is buzz that Abhishek Nigam is being considered. However, Abhishek’s mother has denied the news.

Meanwhile, the cast and crew are glad that the makers have decided to continue with the show. They are currently shooting at a different set located three kilometres away from the former. “It is not easy to shoot post the tragedy, but life has to go on, and we are glad that the production house and channel have decided to continue with the show,” said a cast member.

Arrested Sheezan Khan’s family — (from left) mother Kehkashan, and sisters Falaq and Shafaq — address reporters on Monday

Mumbai: A day before television actor Tunisha Sharma was found hanging in the washroom of co-actor Sheezan Khan’s green room on December 24, she had allegedly shown a picture of a noose to her fellow actors. Her mother had been alerted about it and urged not to leave her daughter alone, claimed Khan’s family on Monday.

Sharma, 20, and Khan, 28, played the lead roles in the serial, Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul, which was being shot at Bhajanlal Studios in Naigaon. They had been in a relationship when the serial went on air in August, but apparently broke up in early December.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, Khan’s family said Sharma had shared the noose picture from her cellphone with co-actors Parth Zutshi and Ayush Shrivastava. When they asked her about it, she passed it off as a joke. Khan, who learnt about the noose, called Sharma’s mother Vanita the same day and asked her not to leave Sharma alone.

“Despite that, Tunisha came to the set alone on December 24 and was found hanging hours later,” said Khan’s sisters Falaq Naaz and Shafaq Naaz, both TV actors. Statements of Zutshi and Shrivastava have been recorded by the Valiv police.

Khan, who was among the three persons who had rushed Sharma to hospital in Naigaon, was arrested the same day based on Vanita’s abetment complaint.

Khan’s family alleged that they had asked Vanita time and again to address Sharma’s obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) issues. Vanita had told reporters on Friday that her daughter suffered from OCD. Khan’s family said on December 16, Sharma had suffered a panic attack; she was admitted to a hospital in Borivali and administered saline. They claimed Sharma had panic attacks every time she came in contact with a person known to Vanita.

Sharma, they claimed, was close to them as she had a strained relationship with Vanita. “She had not gone back to her Mira Road home since December 21,” said the sisters.

The sisters said instead of focusing on mental health issues, they were subjected to charges of ‘love jihad’ and ‘conversion’. Allegations by Sharma’s mother that she was forced to wear a hijab and speak Urdu were baseless as her serial role required that.

The family called Vanita’s allegations of Khan slapping Sharma baseless. “Vanita has been in and out of our house. If my son had slapped Tunisha, she should have questioned him or at least brought it up with us,” said Khan’s mother. Alleging that her son was falsely implicated, she asked if Vanita was waiting to see her son commit suicide in jail.

Sheezan Khan has moved the Vasai court for bail. His plea will be heard on Saturday. Khan was sent to judicial custody last Saturday, with relief against cutting his long hair till Monday. The Thane jail authorities submitted every inmate’s hair has to be cut as per the prison manual, and only Sikhs are exempt. The matter will be heard on Tuesday.

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Mumbai: Vasai court on Saturday, while sending TV actor Sheezan Khan to judicial custody, allowed his plea for home-cooked food and medicines. His plea to not cut his long hair has been allowed till Monday when the superintendent of Thane prison, where he is lodged, sends his report to the court.

His advocate’s plea for counselling and security and visitation rights for family and lawyers in prison will be as per the model prison manual, the court observed.

Khan (28), accused of abetment of suicide of his co-star Tunisha Sharma (20), has been in custody of Valiv police since December 25. Tunisha allegedly hanged herself in the washroom of Khan’s room in Bhajanlal Studios in Naigaon on December 24. The two were in a relationship while they acted in a serial, Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul, that aired from August. The couple had broken up early December.

Tunisha’s mother Vanita had accused Khan of driving her daughter to suicide.

On Saturday, Sheezan’s advocate Shailendra Mishra submitted four applications before the court. Mishra said that Khan’s mental status is beyond anyone’s understanding and that he needs both counselling and special watch so that he does not do anything untoward. He said the actor, who has not seen a police station, forget being lodged in a jail, has been put through media trial already. The advocate spoke about a 19-year-old rape and kidnapping accused committing suicide by hanging inside the Taloja jail on Wednesday.

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Sheezan Khan, who is charged with allegedly abetting the suicide of his ex-girlfriend and co-actor Tunisha Sharma, was produced at the Vasai Killa court on Saturday and remanded to jail custody for 14 days. Khan’s lawyer Shailendra Mishra told the court that the allegations by Sharma’s mother Vanita and her uncle Pawan were false and baseless. Vanita had claimed that Khan had cheated on her daughter and even slapped her on sets. Mishra, however, claimed that Sharma had moved on from Khan, and was in a new relationship.

While informing the court about Khan suffering from asthma, Mishra requested the court to allow him to have home-cooked food and take necessary medication while in jail. Though the police demanded Khan’s custody for further investigation, the court, after hearing both arguments, sent him to judicial custody. The court also granted Khan’s family permission to meet him in jail along with his lawyer.

Speaking to mediapersons, Mishra later said, “Tunisha had a secret boyfriend. We have already submitted all proofs to the police and they are investigating it. My client is innocent and he should be released. We are trying to get him out of jail and will apply for bail. We are also holding a press conference on Monday and the truth will come out,”  he said, adding, “My client is also not safe in jail and is currently under trauma.”

In the investigations so far, the police learnt that Sharma had been suffering from anxiety and OCD disorder and was receiving treatment for the same. The break-up with Khan, the police suspect, had left her vulnerable.