Shilpa Shetty, who had been summoned to appear before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate on Saturday, did not appear for the hearing on the complaint filed by Jaipur Advocate Poonam Chand Bhandari.

Bhandari had filed a criminal complaint against Shilpa and Hollywood actor Richard Gere for indecent exposure as the latter kissed Shetty on the stage.

Gere expressed his apologies for hurting the sentiments of the Indian public for what he called an unprovoked act.

"No, she did not appear before the court. The court has asked the Bollywood actress to appear before it on May 26," the petitioner told rediff.com on phone from Jaipur.

Dinesh Gupta, the additional chief judicial magistrate 4, who accepted the petition of Bhandari had been shifted and a new judge took over the job on Saturday morning.

A similar case is pending in the Ghaziabad courts, which has been filed by another advocate. So far the court has not issued summons to the actress and Gere for their alleged obscene conduct in public.