SC quashes complaint against Dhoni

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.

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.