M A I N   N E W S

7-year RI for Shiney Ahuja in rape case
Tribune News Service & PTI

Mumbai, March 30
The Sessions Court here today sentenced actor Shiney Ahuja to seven-year rigorous imprisonment after he was found guilty of raping his maid in 2006. Ahuja, who was present in the courtroom, broke down as soon as the sentence was announced. His wife Anupam, who has been supporting him throughout the trial, later told reporters that they would appeal against the verdict.

After accusing Ahuja of raping her, the maid, who was employed in the actor’s household, had turned hostile and denied that she was raped. The woman also told the court that she was instigated by someone to get Ahuja frame. The actor had admitted to having consensual sex with the maid.

The court, however, disregarded the maid’s subsequent denial as her original confession was made before a magistrate. The actor had already spent more than 100 days in custody before he was granted bail by the Bombay High Court.

Meanwhile, Additional Commissioner of Police Amitabh Gupta, who supervised the probe into the rape case, said the convincing evidence collected by the police had proved the role of the actor in the crime despite the victim turning hostile.

“We are happy that the accused in the case was convicted. We had left no loophole in the probe. Despite the victim turning hostile, we managed to prove our case in the court,” he added. The police had gathered the DNA and medical reports, which confirmed rape by Shiney. The investigating officials also recorded the statements of 12 witnesses and gathered other documentary evidence, said another police officer.