Court issues summon against Shilpa Shetty

A city court on Wednesday summons Shilpa Shetty and five TV channel owners for appearance on May 8 in connection with the kissing controversy involving Hollywood star Richard Gere.

A city court on Wednesday summoned Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and five TV channel owners for appearance on May 8 in connection with the kissing controversy involving Hollywood star Richard Gere.

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Beena Chaudhry, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ghaziabad city court, issued the summon on a PIL filed by Rookan Pal Singh, former president of Bar Association.

Singh, who filed the petition on April 17, complained that Richard Gere's kiss on the Bollywood actress’ cheeks during an anti-AIDS awareness programme in Delhi was an "indecent representation" of sexual activities in a public place. Singh demanded action against them under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code.

The kiss controversy had evoked strong protests in several cities across the country. Activists, mostly of Hindu outfits, in Varanasi, Bhopal, Kanpur, Indore, Delhi and Mumbai burnt effigies of Gere and Shetty to give vent to their anger over the actor's act, calling it indecent behaviour.