The Bombay High Court has cleared the path for a trial against the former fiancé of Nafisa Joseph, the 1997 Miss India winner who died by suicide in 2004. The court recently dismissed a discharge plea filed by the accused, meaning the legal proceedings concerning his alleged involvement in the case will move forward.

Nafisa Joseph, a prominent model and VJ, was found dead in her Mumbai apartment in July 2004. Following her death, her family accused her fiancé of abetment to suicide, alleging that he had misled Joseph about his marital status. The legal battle has spanned two decades, with the accused seeking to have the charges dropped on the grounds of insufficient evidence. By rejecting the discharge plea, the High Court has determined that there is enough prima facie evidence to warrant a full trial. This decision marks a significant development in a case that drew widespread media attention in India due to Joseph's celebrity status and the circumstances surrounding her untimely death. The trial will now proceed to examine the specific allegations brought forth by the prosecution and the family of the deceased.