A Mumbai sessions court has upheld a magistrate’s order discharging Shilpa Shetty in an obscenity case related to the Richard Gere kissing incident in Rajasthan in 2007. The court observed that the act of hugging and kissing on the cheek, which was seen as an obscene act by some, cannot be regarded as an offence under section 294 of the Indian Penal Code. Learn more about this controversial case and the recent judgment.
The Richard Gere kissing incident, which caused controversy in India more than a decade ago, has once again made headlines as a Mumbai sessions court upheld a magistrate’s order discharging Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty in an obscenity case.
In 2007, Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty was embroiled in a controversy when Hollywood actor Richard Gere kissed her in a public event in Rajasthan. This led to a flurry of obscenity cases being filed against both Gere and Shetty, with many groups protesting against what they deemed an “obscene” act.
A case was registered in Rajasthan against Gere and Shetty under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Information Technology Act. This case was transferred to Mumbai on the orders of the Supreme Court in 2017
The revision application against the magistrate court’s order was dismissed by additional sessions judge S C Jadhav. The detailed order, however, was not available as yet.. The court found that there was no prima facie evidence to suggest that Shilpa Shetty had committed any offense under the Indian Penal Code or the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act.
The incident in question took place at an HIV/AIDS awareness event in Rajasthan, where Gere had planted a series of kisses on Shetty’s cheek, much to the delight of the gathered crowd. However, many conservative groups deemed the act inappropriate and filed obscenity cases against both actors.
The case against Gere was eventually dropped, and he was allowed to leave India without any further legal trouble. However, the case against Shetty dragged on for years, with multiple courts hearing the case and various judgments being passed.
In January 2022, magistrate’s court discharged Shetty in the case, finding that there was no evidence to suggest that she had committed any offense. However, the complainant in the case filed an appeal, and the matter was referred to the sessions court for further consideration.
Now, in 2023, the sessions court has upheld the magistrate’s order discharging Shetty in the case. The court found that there was no evidence to suggest that Shetty had committed any offense under the IPC or the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act.
In conclusion, the Richard Gere kissing incident involving Shilpa Shetty has finally come to a close, with the sessions court upholding a magistrate’s order discharging Shetty in the case. The court found that there was no evidence to suggest that Shetty had committed any offense under the IPC or the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act. The incident had caused a great deal of controversy and protests at the time, but it’s now finally been put to rest after years of legal proceedings.
