Bollywood star's boyfriend faces court over suicide

The Indian boyfriend of the late Bollywood actress Jiah Khan was to appear in a Mumbai court Tuesday on suspicion of abetting her suicide after her family found a letter in her room.

Suraj Pancholi, a 22-year-old aspiring actor, was detained on Monday, a week after his girlfriend's body was discovered by her parents at her home.

"He is arrested for abetment to commit suicide under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code," Additional Police Commissioner Vishwas Nangre-Patil told AFP.

"There is a suicide note, there is a statement of (Khan's) mother and some circumstantial evidence of triggering," he said of the grounds for the arrest.

Khan, who made her debut starring opposite acting legend Amitabh Bachchan, was found dead in an apparent suicide on June 3.

The 25-year-old's parents found a suicide note in her wallet which reports said contained details of her relationship with Pancholi.

Khan, born in New York before moving to London and then Mumbai, made her Bollywood debut in 2007 with the controversial film "Nishabd" (No words), playing a teenager in love with her best friend's much older father, played by Bachchan.

The movie won attention because of its provocative storyline and Khan was praised for her bold acting.

Khan, who changed her name from Nafisa Khan, went on to star alongside actor Aamir Khan in "Ghajini", a box-office hit.

India's film industry reacted with shock and sadness to her death, with superstar Aamir Khan saying he was "deeply pained" to hear the news about a close family friend.

Pancholi has been taking acting lessons and was set to make his own film debut, having signed to feature in the Salman Khan movie "Hero". He has previously worked as an assistant director.