Mumbai, May 14: Bollywood actor Shiney Ahuja, out on bail after a Bombay High Court order, and fighting a seven year jail sentence, on Friday told India TV that the entire case has exposed the true face of Bollywood industry.
Shiney and his wife Anupam told India TV Entertainment Editor Sarita Singh in an interview that the actor was declared an offender even before the trial had begun.
Two years ago, Shiney Ahuja was charged by police on charge of raping his housemaid. The maid later withdrew her allegation, but the district sessions court overruled it and handed Shiney a seven-year jail term.
Shiney said, his wife Anupam was a pillar of support through the difficult times and she always believed in him, "I was living in jail because of my wife, my daughter and my parents". He said that he didn't know what he would have done without them.
Said Anupam: "The girl (maid) said nothing happened, the medical reports showed no blood and the doctors confirmed that there had been no sexual intercourse but yet Shiney was convicted".
Says Shiney: "I was worried about my daughter. I am worried about how she will live her life being labeled as my daughter. I hope she doesn't find out now. I will tell her when she is older. I will explain how much her mother loves her father and stood by him. I will explain things to her as they happened and she will believe me because she will know that I love her. I want her to be able to hold her head high and be proud to say she is my daughter".
Anupam said: "It's been 22 months and it feels like our whole life has come to a standstill. We watch Shiney's films and think about how things would be if this hadn't happened. It would be a very different world for us."
“I was convicted even before my trial began, my lawyer wasn't even asked to speak in court,” said Shiney.
“I am blessed to have wife for whom I had so much love, but now I have both admiration and love for her and my girl for whom I have to go on,” said Shiney.
