Obscenity case: HC stays proceedings against Shilpa, Reema

Madurai, Jul 13 (UNI) The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court today stayed the proceedings in a lower court against Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty and another popular actor Reema Sen in a case pertaining to the publication of 'obscene' photographs in a Tamil eveninger.

Mr Justice R Raghupathy, who stayed the proceedings before a judicial magistrate, also passed an order dispensing with their personal appearance in the case.

Turning down their plea to issue a direction for the recall of the warrants, the court directed the respondent Dakshinamurthy, the original petitioner in the magistrate's court, to file the counter within two weeks.

The judicial magistrate had issued warrants against both the actors on the petition filed by Dakshinamurthy, a city-based advocate.

In their petitions before the High Court, the two actors have pleaded to quash the case, contending that it was filed to gain cheap popularity and to tarnish their reputation.

Both the actors submitted that the said pictures, published in the eveninger, were from films already cleared by the Censor Board and as such they could not be faulted. Moreover, it was normal for publications to print such photographs without obtaining their prior approval, they added.

The summons were not served on them as they had the old address and without taking this into consideration, the magistrate had issued warrants, which had to be recalled, they pleaded.

The case filed in the lower court in February 15, pertain to publication of some photographs of Shilpa Shetty and Reema Sen.

Subsequently, the court directed the two actors and the editor of the eveninger to appear in court. When the actors failed to comply with the directive, the magistrate ordered issuance of summons against them. Later, warrants were issued.

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