A Delhi Court has ordered seizure of two paintings of Indian painter MF Husain on Hindu deities from the Delhi Art Gallery after a complaint was lodged by a lawyer alleging that they were offensive in nature.
JMFC Sahil Monga of Patiala House Courts allowed the application filed by complainant Amita Sachdeva under Section 94 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, seeking a direction on the Delhi Police to seize the paintings in question.
In a tweet, Sachdeva said that she clicked pictures of the paintings last month and filed a complaint at Parliament Street police station. She alleged that there were nude paintings of Hindu deities.
She said that during a visit with the IO concerned, the paintings were removed and it was claimed they were never displayed.
She alleged that the Delhi Police had not registered an FIR against the Delhi Art Gallery and its Directors for exhibiting the offensive paintings.
“It’s unclear if the police have preserved the CCTV footage from 4th to 10th December, as requested in my application, to determine who removed the paintings and why,” she tweeted.
On December 18, 2024, the judge directed the IO to preserve the CCTV footage of December 12, 2024 between 12.00 PM and 01.00 PM.
On January 20, the Court noted that the IO had already seized rhe CCTV footage and the NVR of Delhi Art Gallery.
As per the Delhi Police’s action taken report, it was mentioned that a list of painting was provided by Delhi Art gallery. It further stated that the exhibition was held in a private space and the paintings were only to display the original work of authors or artists.
“In light of the facts and circumstances mentioned in the said application, the said application is allowed and IO is directed to seize the said painting a file a report on 22.01.2025. Put up for compliance report and arguments on 22.01.2025,” the Court said.