Bollywood starlet Tania Zaetta in sex scandal

Bollywood starlet Tania Zaetta has been accused of having sex with soldiers while on a tour to entertain troops in Afghanistan. She has featured in several Bollywood films including the recent 'Salaam Namaste' and 'Mr. Black, Mr. White'.

Zaetta co-hosted the popular television show 'Who Dares Wins'. She also has a kickboxing exercise video called Tania Zaetta's Box.

Tania Zaetta's strenuous denial that she slept with elite special forces soldiers was backed up by a fellow entertainer, who said the tour was so hectic that there would not even have been time for a liaison. Zaetta said she had contacted lawyers and would consider suing the Australian defence department for leaking unsubstantiated rumours that she had behaved in an improper way during a tour of Australian military bases last month.

The claims emerged in a government document prepared for the defence minister, Joel Fitzgibbon, and leaked to the press.

A high profile publicity agent she has hired said the impact of the allegations on her career in India could cost her A$1 million (£480,000).

"She spent 10 years going into that marketplace," her celebrity public relations agent told Australian newspapers.

"I'd say it will cost her seven figures - definitely a million dollars. It's very serious. Sexual allegations even in this country are bad but over there, it's abhorrent."

"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," Miss Zaetta told Channel Nine television.

"It's complete made-up lies. I feel I am owed an apology. Not only my family name but my career that I have worked very hard for is at stake here."

"When things like this get into countries like India it's not taken lightly," she told News Ltd newspapers. "Sex scandals - rumoured, alleged, bad Chinese whispers, whatever it is - aren't taken lightly in a country like that."

Asked if she had been alone with any soldiers during the 17-day tour of Afghanistan and Iraq, the London-based Australian actress said: "You were never alone with any soldiers - you were in full view of everybody else all the time."

Her account of the tour being busy was corroborated by a musician from an Australian rock band, the Wolverines.

The defence department has "apologised unreservedly" to Ms Zaetta for disclosing the claims.

The department said only: "We are unable to comment as the investigation is ongoing."

Kevin Rudd, the prime minister, said Miss Zaetta was entitled to pursue legal action. He said the defence department was conducting two inquiries, one trying to find out what, if anything, happened in Afghanistan and the other looking at how the document containing the allegations was handled.

Australia has around 1,000 troops in Afghanistan.