Kiss row: Gere seeks stay on warrant, SC issues notices

The Times of India Delhi 12 February 2008 Page 17

Hollywood star Richard Gere wants to visit India in March but is wary of being nabbed either by the Rajasthan or UP police, who are still armed with arrest warrants issued by courts for his controversial kiss with actress Shilpa Shetty at an AIDS awareness function last year.

On Monday, he requested the Supreme Court to stay the execution of arrest warrants and a guarantee from the state governments that his exit from India, after the completion of his engagements, would be hassle free. Shetty supported Gere’s plea through her counsel Anand Grover, but a Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices R V Raveendran and L S Panta only issued notices to respondents on his plea. The Bench pointed out that the proceedings before the trial courts had already been stayed by the apex court. Gere’s counsel Indira Jaising said that though the proceedings were stayed, the actor apprehends that the police could still attempt to execute the arrest warrants that could cause immense harassment to him.

Shetty was the first to approach the apex court, immediately after the courts in Rajasthan and UP took cognisance of complaints accusing her and Gere of indulging in obscene acts in public that hurt the sentiments of people apart from violating several provisions of Indian Penal Code. After the SC stayed the proceedings before the trial courts, Gere followed suit and got similar protection.

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