Sooraj Pancholi was acquitted in the abetment to suicide charges in Jiah Khan’s death by suicide case by a special CBI court in Mumbai. After the verdict, the actor was seen visiting Siddhivinayak Temple to take a blessing. Recently, the actor opened up about those who supported him through this battle.Special CBI court judge AS Sayyed reportedly pronounced the verdict, citing ‘paucity of evidence’. Nearly after a decade, Sooraj walked out of the court a free man. Post the verdict was pronounced in his favour, the actor recently talked about his relationship with Jiah. He even revealed that Salman Khan was the first person whom he messaged after leaving the court on Friday.
While speaking to Bombay Times, Sooraj shared how the Tiger Zinda Hai actor stood by him during his difficult times. He even recalled what Salman adviced him when he was fighting the case. Sooraj revealed, "Salman Khan is not a friend of my father or mother. Of course, they know each other as they all work in the same industry. I was an AD on Ek Tha Tiger and he had told me that he will produce my first film. I was accused in 2013 two years before that film (Hero) came out, and he still produced that film and stood by me. He has done more than anyone else for me, but I know my limits and I won’t exploit that bond. I have met him a hundred times, but never for work. He was the first person I messaged as soon as I left the court. He had told me, ‘Sooraj, if you know in your heart that you haven’t done anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about.’"
Sooraj also said that he asked for work in the last 10 years but no one gave him any projects due to his legal battle. He added, "I knocked on everyone’s door for work in these last 10 years. Corporates and studios didn’t want to work with someone who had travel restrictions and a sword dangling over his head. They wanted me to have a clean chit first. I feel reborn now and I am ready to work."During the interview, Sooraj also shared how he met Jiah Khan..He also revealed that they had been in a relationship for only five months. The Hero actor said, "I sent a friend request to Jiah on Facebook. She was a beautiful girl and had done a few films. She reverted about a year later and we became friends. I was in a relationship with Jiah for only five months and I didn’t know the magnitude of what she was going through. She needed love not from her boyfriend, but her family too. She wanted them to support and understand her. Jiah had a lot of pressure to support her family- two younger stepsisters, mother and her partner. She was the only earning member and she wasn’t getting the kind of work that would help her in doing so. I didn’t know the gravity of the situation then as a 20-year-old, but I had informed her mother about her depression and that she needed help."
He went on to add that Jiah had tried to slit her hand back in 2012. He said he called her mother Rabia Khan in London but she didn't show up for months. He said he was there for her but the late actress needed family love. He added, "I was there for her and during that time, we fell in love. She was a wonderful person but my love for her wasn’t enough. She needed familial love. There’s so much I could have said in court, but I didn’t because I want the family to have peace, but accusing me is not the way." On the work front Sooraj was last seen in Time to Dance which bombed at the box office.