India's Supreme Court Drops Obscenity Case against Richard Gere

14 March 2008 -- India's Supreme Court has suspended legal proceedings against Hollywood actor Richard Gere, who faced obscenity charges for publicly kissing Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty last year.

Friday, the court indefinitely stayed the arrest warrant issued against Richard Gere and granted him permission to travel to and from India.

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Richard Gere embraced and kissed Shilpa Shetty on her cheek at the public AIDS awareness event in New Delhi last year, prompting Hindu hard-liners to allege the pair had offended India's conservative culture.

An Indian judge issued an arrest warrant for Richard Gere and a summons for Shilpa Shetty following a complaint accusing the pair of obscenity. The summons against Shilpa Shetty was eventually suspended.

A devout Buddhist, Richard Gere is involved with charities dealing with AIDS and orphans in India and often visits the country.

(Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.)

Source: VOANews.com