Wed Jan 22 17:13:53 UTC 2025: ## Delhi Court to Rule on FIR Against Delhi Art Gallery for Displaying “Offensive” M.F. Husain Paintings
**New Delhi, January 23, 2025** – A Delhi court has reserved its judgment on whether to file a First Information Report (FIR) against the owners of the Delhi Art Gallery (DAG) for exhibiting paintings by the late artist M.F. Husain deemed “offensive” by a complainant.
The case stems from a complaint filed by Delhi-based advocate Amita Sachdeva, who alleged that the paintings depicted Hindu deities in a manner that insulted religious sentiments. Ms. Sachdeva visited the gallery in December, photographed the artwork, and reported it to the police after an initial complaint failed to result in action. The paintings were subsequently removed from display. DAG officials denied exhibiting the works in question.
Ms. Sachdeva’s plea seeks an FIR under Section 299 of the BNS (likely referring to a specific law, details of which are missing from the provided text; assuming it relates to deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), arguing that even Husain’s artistic merit doesn’t justify insulting religious deities. The court previously ordered Delhi Police to seize the paintings. The judge will announce his decision at a later date.
First Piper 