Gere case: Magistrate transferred

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Dinesh Gupta who hit the headlines recently after issuing a non-bailable arrest warrant against Richard Gere has been transferred to Kishangarh. The transfer comes after several of Gupta8217;s orders were not received well by critics and termed controversial.

Gupta on April 26 issued arrest warrant against Gere and summoned Shilpa Shetty for their public kiss during an AIDS awareness programme in Delhi. Calling it 8220;highly sexually erotic8221; and 8220;vulgar8221;, the court directed the two to be present in the court on May 5.

The order was widely criticised and several senior members of the judiciary described it as 8220;unwarranted8221;.

Though HC officials insist the transfer is 8216;routine8217;, sources said the transfer came as a fallout of the controversy. 8220;It was becoming quite embarrassing. It just seemed right to move him, especially when his transfer was due for some time now,8221; said a source.