Indian High Court Put off Arrest Warrant against Richard Gere for Kissing Shilpa Shetty

Hollywood actor Richard Gere is now free from an arrest warrant, issued against him by an Indian court last year, following a kissing controversy. The warrant has recently been put off by Indian High Court. The actor is expected to visit Tibetan Buddhist leader, Dalai Lama next week. Dalai Lama is currently residing in a city of Northern India.

A case was filed against Richard Gere and Indian actress Shilpa Shetty, accusing them of obscenity, following a kissing scene involving the two sparked a huge protest across the country. Then an Indian court issued arrest warrant against Richard Gere, who is also an AIDS activist, for breaching the obscenity law in the country. Shilpa Shetty was also summoned by the court.

AFP reported:

"There can be no arrest," Indira Jaising, Gere's Indian lawyer, told AFP. "He can come and go when he wants to."

Gere, who is also an AIDS activist, tightly clasped Shetty -- winner of Britain's Celebrity Big Brother reality show -- and planted kisses on her cheek in front of gaping Indian truck drivers at an awareness event in Rajasthan.

The incident last April was aired repeatedly on television and triggered a firestorm in India, where chaste public behaviour is a stern tradition, despite Bollywood's sexually suggestive song-and-dance routines.

Because of that arrest warrant, India was faced criticism internationally. Shetty also criticized the arrest warrant later on. Then Gere apologized for what he did with Shilpa Shetty and immediately after the warrant, the popular Hollywood actor left the country. Now, everyone wants to see the end of this controversy permanently.