Claims that an Australian Bollywood actress had sex with troops while touring an Australian military base in Afghanistan were under investigation, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said Thursday.
Rudd was reluctant to comment on the sex scandal claims surrounding London-based actress Tania Zaetta -- who has denied the allegations -- saying it was best left to Australia's defense department.
"As I understand it, these matters are under investigation within the defense department and I will leave it for that investigation to reach its own conclusions," Rudd told reporters.
The allegations surround a tour to Australian military bases in Afghanistan last month undertaken by ex-Baywatch babe Zaetta and a number of other entertainers.
Unsubstantiated claims Zaetta had sex with troops at one of the bases were detailed in a departmental briefing note prepared for Defense Minister Joel Fitzgibbon, Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper reported.
Zaetta, 37, has strenuously denied the allegations.
"This is the most ridiculous story I've heard about my life, and I've heard plenty over the years in this industry," she told the Telegraph.
Zaetta rose to prominence in Australia as a game show host and went on to feature in a number of Bollywood productions, including recent Charlie's Angels-style hit, "Mr. Black, Mr. White" and bit parts in "Bunty Aur Babli" and "Salaam Namaste".
She has an Italian father and an Australian mother.
Fitzgibbon said he had ordered an inquiry into how his briefing note -- officially referred to as a "hot issue brief" -- became public.
He said the inquiry would also examine how the briefing notes were distributed and whether people who were the subject of allegations had to be named.
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