Plea against Sachin, Mandira in MP

Bhopal, May 1 (UNI) A petition was submitted in a local court today against cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, actress-turned-sports anchor Mandira Bedi and three others for allegedly insulting the National Flag.

The plea, under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, was submitted in the court of Judicial Magistrate Pradeep Soni by Advocate R K Pande who represented Mr Chandra Prakash Rai.

A TV channel reported that Tendulkar had cut a cake having the colours of the National flag in March during Team India's stay in the West Indies. A sari, worn by Mandira on a TV programme, had the Tricolour printed at the bottom. The anchor later apologised for her ''inadvertent'' mistake.

After issuing notices to the accused -- including sari designer Puneet Nanda; the Director, Sony Setmax TV and the Sahaja Yoga Society's Nirmala Devi -- the Bench fixed May 21 as the next date for hearing.

UNI