It's official now. Medical reports have revealed that Shiney Ahuja's 19-year-old domestic help was subject to rape, an accusation the 36-year-old actor is reportedly denying. Shiney, however, admitted to having 'sex' with the girl—a confession he reportedly made to cops when he broke down during his arrest.

The Hazaron Khwaishe Aisi star has already been booked under Section 376 (rape), Section 346 (wrongful restraint) and Section 506 (threat to kill) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). If proven guilty, he faces a jail term of over seven years.

Troubled history

Shiney Ahuja has been notorious for his wild on-set behaviour and an arrogant, aggressive nature. Insiders claim the star had few friends in the industry because of his mood swings. Many of his co-stars have claimed that he wasn't an easy person to work with.

But Shiney's ex wife, Anupam, has dismissed the reports and is claiming that her husband of over 10 years is innocent.

“My husband is innocent and I stand by him in this hour. He’s a wonderful person, a caring husband, and a great father,” she said.

She also rubbished media claims of a rift with the actor and said that her staying away from him was just a measure to escape the constant attention and the cameras.

Bollywood in shame

The Hindi film industry, however, is not very pleased. Filmmaker Mahesh Bhat expressed his strong feelings during an interview. "I am ashamed and shocked to hear this. Shiney was actively helping Deepak Tijori when his daughter was victimised for rape. Shiney has been close to us. All I can say is that if he is found guilty, the court will condemn him."

Shiney's Bhool Bhulaiyaa co-star, Manoj Joshi, said: “I have complete faith on the Indian judiciary. If any crime is committed, the accused should be punished irrespective of his status. I do not know him personally, we have worked only in one scene of the film."

Many actors continue to distance themselves from the accused actor. Funnyman Vinay Pathak said: "I don’t know Shiney personally and haven’t interacted with him. But I was shocked to know this and cannot comment on this."

End of Shiney's career?

Despite being a pain on the set, with his constant suggestions on how to shoot scenes, Shiney was going down a good road. However, the accusation of rape may have destroyed his career permanently. With a jail term awaiting (if found guilty) and most of Bollywood distancing itself from the star, we can only guess what threadbare fortunes lie ahead for the once critically-acclaimed actor.

Shock: Shiney Ahuja booked for rape, wrongful restraint