Hardwar court summons Mumbai Police Commissioner on May 13

Hardwar, Apr 14 (UNI) A local court has asked the Mumbai Police Commissioner to appear before it on May 13 and explain why its orders against celebrated painter M F Hussain had not been complied with.

Special Judicial Magistrate K S Shukla yesterday issued a showcause notice to the Mumbai Police Commissioner on the complaint of Arvind Srivastava, an advocate.

The petitioner had alleged that ''the Mumbai police was colluding with the accused and, therefore, was not arresting him and producing him in the court which amounted to contempt of court.'' The court had earlier issued a summons against Hussain in January 2006, a bailable warrant on January 2007, a non-bailable warrant on February 2007 and an order to attach his property on March 9, 2007.

Srivastav had filed a complaint in the court here against Hussain for ''hurting the religious sentiments of the Hindus by painting obscene paintings of Bharat Mata and Hindu gods and goddesses''.

On the application of the petitioner, the special judicial magistrate passed an order that the Mumbai police seemed to be ''indifferent towards the various orders of the court, which was a punishable offence''.

UNI