ANANTAPUR: The Anantapur SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act Court on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant against India cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for allegedly hurting the sentiments of Hindus.
The order came on a petition filed by VHP district vice-president Y Syamsundar on November 8 last year. He had in fact first approached the Additional Judicial First Class Magistrate Court on June 3 that year but his plea was dismissed.
In his plea before the SC/ST PoA Court, he cited a magazine cover which had Dhoni in the avatar of Lord Vishnu, holding several products in his hands. After admitting the petition, the court had issued orders for registering a case against the cricketer and also summoned him thrice.
However, with Dhoni not complying with the orders, judge J Vijay Kumar on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant against him. Dhoni is away in England and faces a tough series in July. The judge directed the local police to produce Dhoni before the court on July 16, said P Gopal Rao, advocate of the petitioner.
The court also issued summons to Business India Editor Chaitanya Kalbag in connection with the case. The BCCI is expected to send its lawyers to Anantapur to defend Dhoni.