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Aus Defence Chief to apologise to Tania

Last updated on: June 04, 2008 18:43 IST

Australian actress, Tania Zaetta, who has done Bollywood films like Mr Black, Mr White,Salaam Namaste, will receive a personal apology from Australian Defence chief for false claims about her sexual relation with the country's soldiers in Afghanistan.

Air Chief Marshal Houston said there was no evidence of any such conduct by Zaetta during a concert tour in April, an AAP report said today. "A quick assessment has been completed," Houston told a Senate hearing today. "There was no substance to the allegations, and I will conclude the matter with a letter to the person in question. I will obviously apologise and express my deep regret about any hurt she has suffered," he said.

Zaetta was at the centre of controversy last month after the Australian media reported that unsubstantiated claims that she had sex with troops at a base were detailed in a departmental briefing note prepared for Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon.

The actress, had paid a trip to the military bases along with other entertainers, angrily denied the claims, describing them as "complete made-up lies".

"Perhaps I do feel like I need an apology because not only my family name but my career which I have worked very hard for is suddenly at stake here," Zaetta had said.

The defence department has already formally apologised to Zaetta for the leak last month. On his part, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd had raised his doubts on the sex scandal from the very beginning.

"I doubt very, very, very much - I have only seen all the girls conduct themselves in a very, very professional manner and certainly Tania, because she is a very professional person," Rudd was quoted as saying by APP last month.

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