Foreign couple fined for wearing skimpy clothes in high court

Mumbai, Nov 29(PTI)A visit to The Bombay High Court building, a heritage monument and a tourist attraction, proved to be hugely embarrassing for a foreign couple yesterday as they were booked for wearing skimpy clothes and made to pay a fine. Robert Halaszova (49) and Jana Halaszova (47) from Czech Republic were charged with an offence under section 112 of the Bombay Police Act, police said adding they were released after they paid fine of Rs 2,500 at Azad Maidan police station under whose jurisdiction the High Court building is located. Robert was dressed in black shorts and a vest while his wife wearing a short skirt and a sleeveless top. The High Court had recently issued a circular about dress code for visitors as per which the police were asked to "allow only litigants wearing modest dresses and in sober colours". It said "these instructions were given so that there were no unsocial activities in the premises". Yesterday, in the security room of the High Court, where the visitors are frisked, the foreign couple was asked to cover themselves with a shawl as they were dressed in skimpy clothes but the duo argued that this was how they dressed in their home country. The couple also said that there was no public notice in the premises specifying a dress code for visitors. There was a heated argument between the husband-wife duo and police over the issue after which they were arrested and released after they paid fine. On an average about 25 foreign tourists visit the 138-year-old High Court building daily, police said. PTI SVS ABC