Olivia Culpo in Hot Water in India for Unauthorized Photo Shoot at Taj Mahal

Current Miss Universe has a police case pending against her in the subcontinent after she allegedly violated rules barring commercial activity at the world famous landmark

By Josh Grossberg Oct 11, 2013 1:20 PMTags
Olivia CulpoPrabhas Roy/Hindustan Times via Getty Images

She may be Miss Universe, but Olivia Culpo isn't universally loved in India.

Nick Jonas' gorgeous girlfriend has been accused of violating the country's Heritage Act after she allegedly did a little modeling without permission in front of the Taj Mahal, a World Heritage Site.

Per the Hindustan Times, the state-run Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) filed a complaint with police after the 21-year-old Culpo posed for a photograph last Sunday and showed off some red high heeled shoes purportedly for a footwear company.

The beauty queen reportedly tried on a bag full of shoes by an iconic marble bench called the Diana seat (named after Princess Diana, who was photographed there two decades ago) as photographers clicked away.

While no police who were on duty at the time raised any objections, India's Supreme Court strictly prohibits any commercial activity or branding and publicity on the Taj grounds.

According to the paper, ASI officials claim Culpo's visit was really covert fashion shoot and not authorized by its organization nor the tourism police.

The Rhode Island native was on a 10-day trip to India when the brouhaha broke out. If found guilty of the violations, she and other members of her group could reportedly face up to two years in jail and a $1,600 fine.

Culpo, who won the Miss Universe crown in December 2012, returned the U.S. late Sunday night and subsequently tweeted a pic of the Taj Mahal.

"Taj Mahal is breathtaking!!!!!!! Never thought I would actually make it here. Amazing experience," she wrote.

(Originally published October 11, 2013, at 6:07 a.m. PT)