Shiney Ahuja's passport renewal plea granted: Revisiting his legal battle
Gangster fame Shiney Ahuja found himself embroiled in controversy when he was convicted of rape in 2011. On Tuesday, the Bombay High Court authorized the renewal of his passport for a duration of 10 years, per reports. To note, Ahuja, who had received a seven-year prison sentence, was initially prohibited from leaving India without court authorization. Here's a look at the actor's legal battle.
Ahuja's compliance with his bail conditions led to passport renewal
Earlier, Ahuja submitted a plea seeking the renewal of his passport for a longer period of time. Ahuja's lawyer emphasized that the shorter passport validity was causing inconvenience—as several countries require a minimum of six-month validity. Justice Amit Borkar—noting Ahuja's compliance with his bail conditions—highlighted Ahuja had renewed his passport six times without any violations—and it was "unlikely that the applicant carries flight risk."
A look back at his case from 2009
Ahuja faced seven-year imprisonment following the charges stemming from allegations of raping his then-18-year-old maid—which led to his arrest in 2009. The accusations against the actor included charges of rape, detention, and threats. He was subsequently booked under—Section 376 (rape) and Section 506 (threat to kill) of the Indian Penal Code. However, in 2010, the maid recanted her previous testimony.
Ahuja's conviction and subsequent imprisonment
The actor endured three-and-a-half months in jail in 2009 followed by another stint of over a month in 2011. Even after the maid backtracked from her testimony, the court arrived at the conclusion that the girl has provided false testimony under pressure, leading to Ahuja's conviction and subsequent imprisonment the same year. However, the actor was later granted bail by the Bombay High Court.
Did you know, 'Section 375' was inspired by Ahuja's case?
The 2019 legal film titled Section 375—helmed by Ajay Behl—featuring actors Richa Chadha and Akshaye Khanna was inspired by Ahuja's legal case. The film was penned by Manish Gupta, a close friend of Ahuja, who had direct interactions with the involved parties during the time of the arrest. The film revolves around a filmmaker who stands accused of rape by a junior costume designer.
