Actor Shiney Ahuja accompanied by his wife Anupam and film-maker Ashok Pandit coming out of Siddhivinayak temple after performing a worship in Mumbai. Ahuja, accused of raping his maid, is out on bail.
The domestic help (20) who had accused actor Shiney Ahuja (32) of raping her more than a year ago has now told the court he "never" raped her.
The woman told a fast-track court last week that she lodged the police complaint against the actor on the instructions of the woman who got her
the job with the Ahujas. She was declared a "hostile witness" following the deposition.
"But the trial will continue," said public prosecutor Kashinath Dige.
Court sources told HT she admitted in court that she told the police she had been raped.
In her complaint, she had also claimed Ahuja threatened her with dire consequences if she spoke about the incident.
Ahuja was arrested on June 14, 2009. He spent more than three months in jail before he got out on bail on October 1.
The police had filed a 109-page chargesheet against Ahuja with statements of 12 witnesses, forensic reports and other documentary evidence.
The next hearing is scheduled for September 15. Ahuja can still be convicted if there is other evidence to support the rape case.
If the court finds that the maid lied, she can be prosecuted for perjury.