SC notice to complainants in Khushboo case

New Delhi, Jul 7 (UNI) The Supreme Court today issued notices on a petition filed by South Indian film actress Khushboo, seeking to drop the criminal proceedings pending against her in 21 cases for her alleged remarks in an interview justifying pre-marital sexual relationship of girls.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices R V Raveendran and J M Panchal issued notices to the complainants after hearing counsel for the actress who contended that the petitioner was being harassed and defamed without any fault and the complainants are doing it for the sake of publicity.

The Supreme Court had earlier stayed till further orders on criminal proceedings in all 23 cases pending against Khushboo in various courts in South India including Tamil Nadu.

In an interview given to Tamil edition of India Today group of magazines in 2005, Khushboo had reportedly said that there was nothing wrong in young girls having pre-marital sexual relations, leading to huge public outcry and several women organisations, social organisations and NGOs were up in arms against the actress.

The actress however denied the allegations that she was trying to encourage pre-marital sexual relationship in the society.

UNI SC KK BD2035