By Aradhana Aravindan

MUMBAI, March 26 (Reuters) - An Indian unit of advertising

group WPP has sacked employees over a series of ads,

including one showing women tied up in the trunk of a Ford

driven by ex-Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

The ads were published days after India approved a tougher

new law to punish sex crimes, following the fatal gang rape of a

student in December. That attack sparked unprecedented protests

over the treatment of women in the country.

The ads, uploaded on an industry website, were created by

individuals within JWT India, a unit of WPP, the world's biggest

advertising group.

"We deeply regret the publishing of posters that were

distasteful and contrary to the standards of professionalism and

decency at JWT," a company statement said.

"These were never intended for paid publication, were never

requested by our Ford client and should never have been created,

let alone uploaded to the Internet.

"These posters were created by individuals within the agency

and did not go through the normal review and oversight process.

"After a thorough internal review, we have taken

appropriate disciplinary action with those involved, which

included the exit of employees at JWT," it said.

Ford India also issued a statement expressing regret over

the incident, but did not comment on whether it was taking any

action against the agency.

One of the ads shows Berlusconi, charged in Italy with

paying for sex with a minor, sitting in the front seat of a Ford

Figo hatchback flashing a victory sign, with a trio of

half-dressed women bound and gagged in the trunk.

Another featured a caricature of celebrity Paris Hilton in

the driver's seat, and three women resembling the Kardashian

sisters bound in the trunk with the tagline "Leave your worries

behind with Figo's extra large boot".

"This was the result of individuals acting without proper

oversight and appropriate actions have been taken within the

agency where they work to deal with the situation," WPP said.

Comments on Twitter and Facebook dismissed the ads as

"shameful" and "disgusting".

"If this is what Ford represents, I will never buy Ford

again, and try my best not to sit in one," a Facebook user said.

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