Sooraj Pancholi reveals he could have been acquitted years earlier in 12-year legal battle: 'There was no evidence against me'

Sooraj Pancholi, son of actors Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab, is an Indian actor known for his roles in Hindi cinema. He launched his career with the 2015 romantic action movie 'Hero'. He later appeared in the 2019 action drama 'Satellite Shankar' alongside Megha Akash. Recently, following his acquittal after a lengthy 12-year legal battle, Sooraj shared his experiences and the challenges of public scrutiny during this difficult period in his first podcast appearance.

Facing accusations and choosing to fight the trial

Talking to Bollywood Bubbles, Sooraj described the difficulty of facing accusations when he knew he was innocent, explaining how hard it was to prove his innocence and how speechless it made him feel. He mentioned that he had the option to seek discharge early in the trial and could have been acquitted years ago. However, after discussing with his lawyer and his father, he decided against it because he feared that if he was acquitted too soon, people would assume it was due to his privileged background rather than justice being served fairly.

Commitment to a full trial despite the option to discharge

The actor explained that he told his father he wanted to go through the trial, even though he didn’t know how long it would take, believing that facing the process would answer every question in court and reveal who was right or wrong. He endured a 12-year-long legal procedure before his trial finally took place, which he won on merit. He emphasized that he could have ended the case years earlier with a discharge since there was no evidence against him. Even now, no evidence has been presented, and if there had been any, it should have been brought forward. Ultimately, he won his case through a full trial.

The reality of the trial and lack of media support

He continued by explaining that if people truly understood what a trial entails, they would know that every question must be answered and every answer scrutinized. He went through the entire process and was acquitted-not found guilty-because there was no evidence against him. However, he noted that no one talked about this, and the media did not support him, nor did others, because it didn’t provide the sensationalism they sought. He admitted that his mistake was not speaking up for himself at the time, as many advised him against it. Looking back, he feels that if he had spoken out earlier, people might have heard his side of the story, which he has never fully shared and does not intend to, as the matter is now behind him.

Enduring 12 years of legal battle and public skepticism

In the same interview, Pancholi expressed that many people fail to recognize that he went through a full trial and was acquitted. Despite this, he still faces comments demanding "justice" for the case. He emphasized that he endured the entire justice system, waiting 12 years and sacrificing his career in the process. Pancholi stated that if given the choice between making a film or facing trial, he would choose the trial every time because he wanted a clean chit through the legal process. He believes that by going through the trial, he ensured that justice was served and there can be no doubt about the outcome.

Reflecting on the personal toll of the ordeal

Concluding his thoughts, the actor expressed that if people are still questioning him, he doesn’t know what more a person can do or what else a law-abiding citizen could have done. He recalled being only 21 years old when he had to face the ordeal, which took 12 years to resolve. He asked people to imagine going through such a situation at that age. During that time, he didn’t even have a passport and could only travel for work. While the world was pointing fingers at him, he was simultaneously trying to understand himself, life, love, work, his career, and his path forward.