Relief for MS Dhoni: SC quashes criminal proceedings against cricketer

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday quashed criminal proceedings against India's limited over cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for allegedly hurting religious sentiments after he was portrayed as a god on a magazine cover.

The top court had in January stayed the criminal proceedings pending before an Andhra Pradesh court against Dhoni in the case lodged against him over a magazine cover that portrayed him as Lord Vishnu.

The court had then issued a notice to respondent Yerraguntla Shyam Sundar on the petition of the cricketer in which he has also sought transfer of the criminal case from a court in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh to Bengaluru in Karnataka.

However, now, the court has quashed moves against the cricketer.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had stayed criminal proceedings against the cricketer in a similar case against him in a Bengaluru court and had also stayed the operation of Karnataka HC order which had refused to stall proceedings against him.

The apex court had also issued notice to social activist Jayakumar Hiremath, who had lodged a complaint against Dhoni in a Bengaluru trial court, on the cricketer's Special Leave Petition challenging Karnataka HC order.

The complaint filed by Hiremath had alleged that Dhoni was seen on the cover of a business magazine as Lord Vishnu, holding several things, including a shoe in his hands.

A case was registered against Dhoni under section 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) along with 34 (common intention) of the IPC.

The illustration was done by the magazine but Dhoni had to face the cases.