In a plot development worthy of a great Bollywood movie, which if it wasn’t so serious, would create a great melodrama, Anupam Ahuja called a press conference yesterday to defend her husband, Bollywood star Shiney Ahuja, currently being held on a charge of rape. “My man is innocent. He has been framed. I am proud of Shiney,” she said, “We have a lovely marriage. Regardless of all the reports that said we were separated, they married us, divorced us several times. We are all in it together. Shiney is a great man, simple man, wonderful father, great husband. We have only one that goes for us, which is the truth. Truth gives us the power to stand up against such an allegation. Truth will win and I have complete faith in our judiciary system that truth will emerge.”
Shiney will be produced in court today as his remand runs out. The police will ask for an extension. They argue that the medical evidence produced suggests a prima facie case for sexual violation and wrongful detention which requires further inquiry. “The accused will undergo various forensic tests that include DNA test as well. This will help us to gather more evidence against him,” said DPC Naushik of the Mumbai Police. The police will also be contacting the victim’s old school today to verify that she is a minor.
Rekha Mani, a friend of the alleged victim, has talked about how the girl came to her following the incident, “She came out of the building, hugged me and started crying. She did not say a word and I thought sahib must have scolded her. However, after a while, she confessed that Shiney had raped her. Even the security personnel had noticed her weeping and inquired. I immediately called her uncle Mahadev and narrated the incident to him. He in turn informed the girl’s parents who advised us to lodge a police complaint.” This didn’t happen immediately, however, as first the girl was taken to some other neighbours, who eventually persuaded her to go to the police around 7.30pm in the evening on Sunday.
