Gere wanted for Shilpa kiss

Richard Gere is facing an arrest warrant by an Indian court for kissing Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty in public.

The Pretty Woman star repeatedly kissed Shetty on the cheeks at an Aids awareness event.

A local lawyer filed a complaint after the incident sparked angry protests across the country. The court found the actor guilty of violating Indian laws against public obscenity.

Lawyer Poonam Chand Bhandari said: "The court said that Shilpa Shetty and Richard Gere were guilty of violating charge 294, section 34 of the IPC (Indian Penal Code).

"Since Gere is not Indian and can leave the country anytime, the court issued arrest warrants under section 87 and a summon has been issued against Shilpa Shetty."

If he is convicted, Gere could be sent to jail for up to three months, fined, or both.

The Hollywood star, who is not currently in India, is a devout Buddhist and visits India frequently to meet the Dalai Lama.

He is also involved with charities looking after HIV-infected people and orphans, as well as Aids prevention groups in the country.

Shetty said the kiss may have gone a "little overboard" but it was not obscene and the protests made India look regressive.

The Celebrity Big Brother winner said Gere was only re-enacting his moves from the film "Shall We Dance" to entertain the audience at the Aids event and communicate in a Bollywood style as he did not speak Hindi.

© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.