SC stays criminal proceedings against M S Dhoni

New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court today stayed the criminal proceedings pending before an Andhra Pradesh court against ODI captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni in a case lodged against him for allegedly portraying himself as Lord Vishnu in an advertisement.

A bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra also issued 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.

The bench has sought responses from Shyam Sundar, who had filed the complaint against Dhoni in a magisterial court, and state police on Dhoni’s petition within eight weeks and stayed the criminal proceedings in the case.

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.