HC quashes proceeding against Nafisa Ali

Nafisa Ali breathes easy after the Delhi High Court quashed criminal proceedings initiated against her for allegedly purchasing a controversial painting of M F Husain.

Former Miss India and social activist Nafisa Ali on friday breathed easy after the Delhi High Court quashed criminal proceedings initiated against her for allegedly purchasing a controversial painting of M F Husain.

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The relief was on the lines of the court's recent judgement in which it held that the controversial painting, allegedly depicting "Bharat Mata" in an obscene manner, was a piece of art and could not be described as objectionable.

The complaint filed against Nafisa Ali is identical with the one filed against the Husain in the controversial painting case. So the judgement delivered in the painter's case would also hold in this case, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul said.

The court passed the order on a petition filed by Bollywood actress for quashing the proceeding initiated against her for being involved in the auction of the painting.

A lower court of Bhopal had issued notice against her on a complaint filed by one Raj Kumar Pandey alleging that she hurt public sentiments by purchasing the painting of Husain in which Bharat Mata was portrayed in an obscene manner.

Nafisa, however, contended that she had not purchased the painting and was only organising its auction for raising money for the victims of earthquake that hit the Jammu and Kashmir in 2005.

Earlier, Justice Kaul had quashed the proceedings against Husain on a similar complaint filed against him over the controversial painting.

Holding that beauty lies in the eyes of beholder so does the obscenity, the Court had said the painting in question was just a piece of art in line with country's ancient art.