SC kisses off Gere’s warrant, says case tarnishes India’s name

Sending a stern message to all those who file cases for “publicity hunting”, the Supreme Court today ordered an interim stay on the execution of an arrest warrant issued by a Jaipur court against Hollywood actor Richard Gere contending that such complaints (and cases) bring disrepute to the country.

“Filing such complaints and an order like this brings bad name to the country,” observed a bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan. Gere is accused of being “obscene” after he embraced and kissed actor Shilpa Shetty during an AIDS awareness event last year.

Ensuring that arrest warrants do not come in Gere’s way, who’s scheduled to meet spiritual leader Dalai Lama on March 21, the bench, also comprising Justice R V Raveendran, made it clear that the actor will not have to appear before the court in Jaipur.

Lamenting how the magistrate initiated the process of law on such frivolous complaints, the apex court remarked that there was no need for issuing the arrest warrant.