Hindustan Times (Lucknow)

Dhoni as Lord Vishnu: Top court quashes complaint against cricketer

- IndoAsian News Service n letters@hindustant­imes.com

NEWDELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday quashed a criminal complaint against former India cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni by an Andhra Pradesh resident following his depiction as Lord Vishnu by a business magazine.

Quashing the criminal complaint, the bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra said that the ingredient­s of the offence alleged in the criminal complaint amounting to hurting the religious feelings of the complainan­t are not made out.

Another bench of the apex court had on September 5 last year quashed an identical complaint filed by another complainan­t before a court in Bengaluru.

In the magazine cover that was released in 2013, Dhoni --dressed up as Lord Vishnu -- was seen holding several objects in his hands, including a shoe.

The trial court in Karnataka had directed the registrati­on of a case against Dhoni under section 295 which pertains to injuring or defiling a place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class along with section 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Dhoni was also directed to appear before the court.

Dhoni had then moved the Karnataka High Court which had refused to stall the proceeding­s against him and others mentioned in the complaint.

The cricketer had then filed a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court challengin­g the Karnataka High Court order.

A court in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh had also issued a nonbailabl­e warrant against him for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. That had prompted Dhoni to approach the Supreme Court seeking quashing of the criminal proceeding­s against him.

 ??  ?? Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from India