Advocates protest transfer of Gere-Shilpa case magistrate

Jaipur, May 4 (UNI) The District Advocate Bar Association members here are protesting to cancel the transfer order of Magistrate Dinesh Gupta, who has been in the news recently for issuing the arrest warrant against Hollywood actor Richard Gere over the kiss row.

Rajasthan High Court ordered the transfer of Magistrate Dinesh Gupta of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) court No-4 to Kishangarh, terming it routine transfer.

Both international and national media covered Gupta's controversial order extensively of arresting Gere and summoning actress Shilpa Shetty to court on May 5 for performing a obscene act publicly and causing annoyance to public.

Rajkumar Sharma, general secretary, District Advocate Bar Association, told UNI that advocates are against the transfer of Mr Gupta and would be writing to High Court to cancel the transfer order and would plan their strategy in a meeting today.

He added if the letter of protest do not work, at least 3800 members would hold dharnas, demonstrations to get the transfer cancelled.

Gupta issued his controversial orders on a PIL filed by advocate Poonam Chand Bhandari against the kiss row , which caused annoyance to public.

Bhandari said the transfer of Gupta is unfortunate and will have a adversely affect the case.

Gupta's order caused a furore in the judicial circles, making attorney general Soli Sorabjee comment that magistrates cannot afford to act as moral police.

UNI