India suspends arrest warrant over Gere kiss

INDIA’S top court has suspended an arrest warrant against Hollywood star Richard Gere, for breaking public obscenity laws by kissing Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty at a public Aids awareness event last year.

“Gere is allowed to come and leave. He can’t be arrested,” said Anil Grover, Shetty’s lawyer.

Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice R V Raveendran put an indefinite hold on an arrest warrant issued against Gere by a court in the north-western Indian city of Jaipur last year.

Gere is a frequent visitor to India, promoting health issues and the cause of Tibetan exiles.

Gere embraced and kissed Shetty on her cheek at the Aids charity 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 apologised for any offence he may have caused. But he also said the whole controversy was manufactured by a small hard-line political party.

Shetty, a well-known actress in India, gained international fame after her appearance on Celebrity Big Brother.