A Bollywood starlet who made her name going beyond the call of duty in Who Dares Wins, an Australian TV stunt show, has been accused of having sex with soldiers while on a tour to entertain troops in Afghanistan. Tania Zaetta (above) was named in a confidential briefing paper to Australia’s Defence Minister as having slept with special forces soldiers last month at a military base in Tarin Kowt, the capital of Oruzgan province. Pictures and a video were said to have been taken.
But Australia’s military was in retreat last night, admitting that it broke its privacy regulations by naming the actress, 37, in the confidential note intended for Joel Fitzgibbon, the Defence Minister.
The Defence Department apologised to Zaetta for the leak, and Mr Fitzgibbon said he had ordered an inquiry into how the document officially referred to as a “hot issues brief” became public.
Zaetta, who has appeared on Baywatch and Mission Implausible, a British pay-TV show, denied the allegations and said there had been little opportunity to be alone with any soldier, even if she had wanted to be.
“How does a supposed document . . . that I don’t know about get leaked in the first place that’s a little bit concerning about the security of the country,” she said.
“It’s complete lies . . . apart from being hurtful, it’s damaging to a woman’s career, to her reputation.” The Government now faces a potential compensation payout after she sought legal advice over the claims, which the document said had been made by Angry Anderson, a veteran Australian rock star and fellow tour performer.
Kevin Rudd, the Prime Minister, reluctantly commented on the scandal, which drew criticism from the opposition conservative Liberal Party over invasion of privacy. “These matters are under investigation within the Defence Department and I will leave it for that investigation to reach its own conclusions,” Mr Rudd said.
Anderson, the bald former frontman for the rock band Rose Tattoo, denied that he had made a complaint.
Another performer said the entertainers had been told that they would breach Defence Force regulations if they fraternised with the troops. “I have heard of quickies but I have never heard of anything that quick . . . a tour like that is hard work,” John Clinton, of the country rock band the Wolverines, said.
Zaetta co-hosted the 1990s television show Who Dares Wins. She has featured in several Bollywood productions including a recent Charlie’s Angels-style hit, Mr. Black, Mr. White.