The Shiney I knew….

The truth they say takes time to reveal itself, but ultimately it does. This ultimately could be months, years or decades if one considers the constraints of the Indian legal system. Till the time the real truth emerges, the best for us is to seal our lips and watch the developments on TV and read about them in print.

The wait and watch game could be over for you any time you want it to. It is you who would eventually decide whether Shiney Ahuja - who is known as an upcoming Bollywood film star - is a rapist or not.

Well I am not writing in defence of my schoolmate here. I am not even writing against him. I am just recounting a couple of memories of school days.

Shiney was my senior in school and we travelled in the same bus. Little did I know at the time that the guy would turn out to be a film actor. However, I do remember him singing songs from old Hindi films. As far as I remember "Chaudwi ka Chand ho….was among his favourites.

He came across to me as a well-behaved and decent guy, who may have befriended certain members of the "school gang", but he himself maintained a low profile as against them. Still, he was popular in school to a certain extent due to his good looks- a combination of light brown eyes, light brown hair and a creamy complexion.

Slightly on the plump side at that time, Shiney was not exactly a gentleman. But during school days there were no complaints against him as such. And I do not remember a single instance of him trying to pass lewd remark in front of his school fellows or school mates. The school going boy could hardly be termed as a lecherous teenager.

I mince no words in saying that it appeared that Shiney was growing up to be a fine young man.

Therefore, I was completely taken aback by the accusation that has been hurled against him.

In fact, I would have found it hard to believe that he as a married man, who was also the father of a child, could have committed adultery.

But rape? Well, someone please convince me if it actually is the real truth.