Quote# 23423
An Indian court will this week hear testimony that British model Elizabeth Hurley and her husband Arun Nayar mocked Hindu traditions with their "showcase" wedding, a lawyer said on Tuesday.
A decision whether the glamorous couple should be prosecuted in the desert city of Jodhpur - where they wed a month ago but may now risk jail - could come as early as next week, said lawyer Hastimal Saraswat.
The pair staged a lavish ceremony at a Rajasthan fort that was exclusively covered by celebrity magazine Hello!, which reportedly paid £2 million ($4.8 million) for the rights.
But after seeing the pictures in the magazine, an angry Jodhpur resident hired Saraswat to take legal action.
"Liz Hurley and Arun Nayar insulted Hindu tradition and I want them to be severely punished," Vishnu Khandelwal, a devout Hindu who runs a printing press, said.
The court has already heard from two witnesses, including Khandelwal, and will hear testimony from at least three more, including a Hindu priest, said lawyer Saraswat.
Khandelwal said he was upset when he saw Hurley and Nayar had taken alcohol prior to the religious rites and kissed near the sacred fire that Hindus hold to be the witness to the marriage.
"They sat on a sofa and they were supposed to sit on the floor," Khandelwal added.
His petition to the court - which will decide whether or not to prosecute - also pointed out that Hurley wore leather footwear near the fire, in a land that worships the cow.
Vishnu Khandelwal,
SMH.com.au 35 Comments [4/11/2007 12:00:00 AM]
Fundie Index: 9
Submitted By: Dave