Shilpa Shetty-Richard Gere Kissing Case: Court Says Woman Groped On Street Can't Be Prosecuted

The Session Court upheld actor Shilpa Shetty’s discharge in a 2007 obscenity case, where Richard Gere kissed her at a public event. The Court observed that a woman being groped on the streets cannot be charged as a participant in the crime. 

Additional Sessions Judge SC Jadhav stated, “A woman being groped on the street or touched on a public way or in public transport cannot be termed as accused or participative to an extent of mental culpability and she cannot be held for illegal omission to make her liable for prosecution.” 

A Magistrate's court in Mumbai discharged Shilpa Shetty from the case in January 2022. The Court observed that Shetty was the victim of Gere's acts and cannot be accused of the act. 

Shilpa Shetty-Richard Gere Kissing Case

The complainant on the Court's decision of Shetty's discharge filed the criminal revision application in the Session Court. Earlier, Shetty mentioned she is a victim of malicious proceedings and harassment by the complainant in the case. Shetty sought heavy costs to be imposed on the complainant in the case of the harassment.

The case against Shetty is from 2007, 15 years back. The incident occurred at an AIDS awareness event in outer Delhi on April 15, 2007. The event was attended by Hollywood Actor Richard Gere and Shilpa Shetty. During the event, Gere groped Shetty and kissed her cheeks to pass a message that kissing was a safe act and does not lead to the transmission of HIV. Following the incident, an obscenity case was made against Shetty and Gere. Both were booked under Sections 292, 293, 294, 120-B of IPC, Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and Sections 4 and 6 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.

On a criminal revision application, Shetty sought quashing of the revision application. The complaint was filed in Alwar in Rajasthan but transferred to Mumbai on an application by Shetty.

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