Richard Gere's arrest warrant suspended
NEW DELHI (AP) -March 14, 2008 "Gere is allowed to come and leave. He can't be arrested,"
said Anil Grover, attorney for Shetty, after attending the Supreme
Court proceedings.
Chief Justice K. G. Balakrishnan and Justice R. V. Raveendran
indefinitely stayed the arrest warrant issued against Gere last
year by a court in the northwestern Indian city of Jaipur, Grover
told The Associated Press.
Gere embraced and kissed Shetty on her cheek at the public AIDS
awareness event in New Delhi on April 15 last year, prompting Hindu
hard-liners to allege the pair had offended the sensibilities of
India's traditionally conservative culture.
Hindu activists filed three cases against the pair last year,
including one in Jaipur.
The allegations of obscenity against Gere and Shetty have failed
to stir wider outrage among Indians, most of whom have responded
with utter indifference.
Grover called the cases "frivolous" and "a total misuse of
the legal process."
Shortly after the cases were filed by Hindu activists, Gere
apologized for any offense he may have caused. But he also said the
whole controversy was manufactured by a small hard-line political
party.
Gere is a frequent visitor to India, promoting health issues and
the cause of Tibetan exiles, tens of thousands of whom live in
India.
Shetty, a well-known actress in India, became an international
star after her appearance on the British reality show "Celebrity
Big Brother."