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 5 September 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 non-bailable 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.
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