Bollywood actor Shiney Ahuja, 35, has been remanded in custody of the Oshiwara police in Mumbai for four days by Andheri magistrates. The police are awaiting medical tests to determine whether his maidservant, who claims rape, is below age – 18 in India. “The tests have indicated that the victim was sexually assaulted, although the final report is still awaited,” aid ACP Gupta of the West Region area police.
The maid had been hired by Shiney’s wife Anupam six weeks ago. She was away on Sunday at the time of the incident, between 3-5pm, as were another servant and the cook. “He took me into his bedroom, gagged and raped me,” the maid is said to have claimed. “The complainant told the police that she was traumatised after the incident and went to her relatives’ place who along with the girl then approached the police station,” said DCP Kaushik of the Oshiwara police.
Reports say that the maid was asked to enter his room with a glass of water. The accused then locked the door behind her and held her there for up to two hours, gagging and raping her. He had allegedly made earlier advances towards her on the Saturday which she had rejected. “He did some inappropriate acts on Saturday, but the victim had let it go. But on Sunday, he raped her when he found her alone in the house,” suggested DCP Kaushik.
Shiney has been arrested under Indian Penal Code sections 376 (rape), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (death threat). DCP Kaushik suggested that Shiney was not cooperating with the police as fully as he would like. “We are interrogating him about the incident. We are not satisfied with his replies,” he said.
According to the BBC in London, Shiney’s lawyer Shrikant Shivade has said, “Media reports about his admission are false and he has not admitted to anything in police custody or in court.” Shiney’s wife says he is innocent. “I love my husband. He is a wonderful father, a great partner and most importantly, he is an innocent man. I stand by him with all my soul, with all my heart, with all my love”.
