14 DAY TRIAL // Olivia Culpo, the Miss USA winner crowned Miss Universe in December 2012, has been accused of violating the strict rules prohibiting product endorsement at the Taj Mahal, after the Archaeological Survey of India filed a police complaint against her.
According to the ASI, the beauty queen visited the Taj Mahal over the weekend, as part of a 10-day trip to India to talk on such issues as female empowerment and AIDS awareness, as part of her duties as Miss Universe.
However, when she arrived at the marble bench known as the Diana Seat, Culpo took out a pair of shoes and started modeling them, as camera snapped away, the Daily Mail reports.
This is in direct violation of ASI rules, which prohibits any kind of overt advertising near the Taj Mahal.
“According to the Supreme Court of India, any branding or publicity in or around the Taj Mahal is prohibited under law and the ASI's complaint alleges Culpo and her handlers fell foul of this,” the British tabloid explains.
The ASI lodged a complaint with the police against Culpo and her agency – and they seem determined to have them punished.
“Sandals (high heels) of a particular brand were taken out of the bag by someone in the group. Culpo donned one of the sandals and held another in her hand, reportedly to advertise them while cameramen accompanying her shot the scene with the Taj in the background,” the ASI says in the complaint.
Police confirm that a complaint has been filed, but stress the incident is still under investigation. If charges are brought against Culpo and she’s found guilty, she could get 2 years behind bars and a fine.
However, she insists she wasn’t to blame for any violation because she’s just “an employee of the Miss Universe organization” who does what she’s told, Zimbio writes.
“Honestly, I did say out loud at one point, ‘Isn't this a little inappropriate?’ It's upsetting to me that I was a part of that. It's really upsetting because I loved my visit to India, and I would love nothing more than to go back, even in the near future,” she says.