Mumbai: A sessions court has dismissed the plea by the Rajasthan as well as Maharashtra police against a discharge given to actor Shilpa Shetty last year in connection with a 2007 incident of American actor Richard Gere kissing her at a charity event in Delhi.
In Jan last year, a Ballard Pier magistrate court had granted a clean chit to her and called her a “victim” instead and observed that the offences charged against her were “groundless”.
Complaint filed in magistrate court in Alwar
The complaint had been filed by one Bhoopsingh in a magistrate court in Alwar alleging IPC offences of obscenity, offences under provisions of the IT Act as well as the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act. The Alwar court had directed the registration of an FIR. The case had been transferred to a Mumbai court upon the apex court’s directions.
Against this order, in Feb last year, both the Alwar police and the MRA Marg police station had approached the sessions court and stated in their plea that the magistrate erred in discharging her. The plea said that the act of the duo to kiss or allow to kiss in public comes under the purview of the Obscenity Act.
Shilpa: Accused approached court for cheap publicity
Shilpa had opposed this plea and said in her response filed before the court that she is a victim of malicious proceedings and harassment at the hands of the complainant and being an artist she has always acted responsibly in public. She alleged that the complainant is approaching the court for cheap publicity. She said that the only allegation against her is that she did not protest while being kissed, but this does not make her a conspirator or perpetrator of any crime. A detailed order is yet to be available.
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