A Mumbai court on Thursday exonerated actress Sonali Bendre from charges of hurting the feelings of Hindus by wearing a kurta that had 'Om' written on it.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate B A Shelar of Esplanade court exonerated Bendre after her counsel Shrikant Bhat said that the dress was worn without any malicious intent.

He said the dress was just a part of the fashion that was prevalent at that time.

Bendre had been booked under Section 295 (a) of the Indian Penal Code.

She had appeared on a magazine cover in March 1998 dressed in the kurta.

The publisher of the magazine, Neelkanth Seshadri, photographer Amit Ashar and dress designer Vineeta Ashley had also been booked. They have all been discharged now.