Actor Shiney Ahuja on Friday went on record that he did have sex last month with the domestic help who has accused him of rape. He told the court, however, that it was consensual and she had responded to his advances.

A bail application filed last week had said Ahuja belongs to a “respectable” family and has been wrongly implicated. However, the prosecution has now taken a strong stand, its reply claiming that a respectable family did not reflect itself in Ahuja’s character.

In the reply, Special Public Prosecutor R V Kini contended that Ahuja could “tamper with the evidence against him”, and might try all possible means to influence the victim and witnesses.

“If granted bail, the accused might try to intimidate the victim and witnesses whose statements have not been recorded so far before the magistrate,” said Kini.

The prosecution also claimed that an accused who was booked under such a grave charge, which could attract life imprisonment, could try to jump bail if released. Ahuja is currently in judicial custody at Arthur Road Jail.

In his application, Ahuja had claimed that a serious conspiracy was being hatched against him, and that the help and some other people wanted to extort money from him. Kini told the court that Ahuja was merely maligning the victim.

The prosecution also cited the DNA and other forensic reports, stating that all the evidence went against Ahuja as it established that he had forced himself on his maid. The five-page reply also mentioned that the prosecution would expedite the proceedings as the state had asked for the case to be sent to a fast-track court.

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