Andhra court issues summons to Dhoni for 'Lord Vishnu' portrayal after VHP complaint

An Anantapur District Court on Monday summoned  the captain of India's ODI and T-20 cricket team Mahendra Singh Dhoni, in relation to a case filed against him of hurting Hindu sentiments.

The petition was filed by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the summons order Dhoni to appear before November 7.

The VHP's Anantapur district vice-president Yerraguntla Shyamsunder had earlier alleged in a petition that the Indian captain had hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus by dressing up and posing as Lord Vishnu for a magazine.

Several criminal cases were filed against Dhoni across the country for posing as Lord Vishnu, on the cover page of Business Today magazine, in its June 3, 2013 edition. 

The Anantapur court, has also summoned magazine editor Chaitanya Kalbag, with regard to the case filed under Section 295 A of the IPC. The petition also asks Dhoni and the magazine editor to offer apologies to the Hindus.

The Supreme Court had earlier stayed criminal proceedings against the cricketer on a complaint lodged for the same issue in a Bengaluru trial court.

The earlier complaint was filed by social activist Jayakumar Hiremath, who also took offence to Dhoni in the attire of Lord Vishnu holding several things, including a shoe in his hands.