Ahuja takes legal action against Micromax

Mumbai: Ahead of the hearing of his petition in Bombay High Court challenging his conviction in a rape case, Bollywood actor Shiney Ahuja has served a legal notice on a mobile phone manufacturer for airing a TV commercial he says is character assassination.

Ahuja, who is on bail after a trial court convicted him to seven years' rigorous imprisonment, sent a notice through his lawyer to Micromax Mobile, contesting the "objectionable" content in the advertisement, tagged the ‘Bai commercial'.

The actor's publicist Dale Bhagwagar said here yesterday: "Shiney has sent a legal notice to the mobile company as the advertisement amounts to wilful character assassination."

The "Bai commercial", made by the mobile company especially for Diwali season, shows a young girl telling her friend, "Shiney bought me a new Bling" [a Micromax brand mobile phone]. The friend exclaims, "He bought me one too." Meanwhile, a phone rings and a maid flaunts her new mobile phone and tells the two women, "What? Sahab bought me one."

"As you know, Shiney has challenged his conviction. After admitting his petition, Bombay High Court has kept his matter for hearing. For the mobile company to air such a television commercial influencing public opinion when Shiney's appeal is pending hearing is equivalent to contempt of court," Bhagwagar said.

Known for his performance in films like Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, Sins and Life In A Metro. Ahuja is expected to be back in action with the release of his movies Ek Accident, Ghost, Chaloo Movie and Har Pall.

A court on March 30 this year convicted and sentenced him to seven years in jail for raping his maid in June 2009, after rejecting the victim's retraction of her original allegation against him during the trial.