Bollywood Actor Shiney Ahuja, Convicted In Rape Case, Allowed 10-Year Passport Renewal

The Bombay High Court granted permission on Tuesday for Bollywood actor Shiney Ahuja to renew his passport for a duration of ten years, while simultaneously affirming that the case involving allegations of sexual assault against him would be addressed in its due course.

Ahuja had been found guilty on March 30, 2011, of sexually assaulting his domestic worker and is currently out on bail. While he received a seven-year prison sentence, he appealed against the conviction handed down by a trial court.

Subsequently, he filed an appeal seeking bail, which was granted on April 27, 2011, under the condition that he could not leave India without court permission.

During the recent proceedings on Tuesday, the Bombay High Court was considering an application submitted by Ahuja, in which he sought an extension of his passport's validity for a more extended period.

Advocate Karamsingh Rajput, representing Ahuja, argued that renewing the passport for only one year was causing the actor unnecessary hardship, given that some countries do not permit Indian citizens with passports valid for less than six months to stay within their borders.

Justice Amit Borkar, the sole presiding judge, noted that Ahuja had abided by the conditions set during his 2011 bail release. Borkar mentioned, "It appears that during the pendency of the present appeal, the applicant's passport has been renewed six times. It is, therefore, unlikely that the applicant poses a flight risk."

The bench further acknowledged that despite the passport being renewed six times, there had been no violation of the bail conditions. The court commented, "The applicant has made a strong case for directing the passport authority to extend his passport's validity for ten years." Additionally, the court stated that if Ahuja meets the eligibility criteria, the pending appeal should not hinder the renewal of his passport for a decade.

In June 2009, the actor's domestic help had lodged a complaint alleging that he raped her at his Mumbai residence. Shiney Ahuja, who was arrested on June 14, 2009, was subsequently convicted by a trial court in March 2011 for the offence punishable under Section 376 (punishment for rape) of the Indian Penal Code.