A Delhi court has reserved its decision on whether an FIR should be filed against the Delhi Art Gallery and its owner and director over the display of controversial paintings by renowned artist MF Husain.
The artwork in question, which depicted Hindu deities Hanuman and Ganesha holding nude female figures, sparked significant outrage after a formal complaint was filed by advocate Amita Sachdeva, who deemed the paintings “offensive.”
The controversy began when Sachdeva, a practicing advocate, visited the DAG in Connaught Place on December 4, 2024. During her visit, she took photographs of the disputed paintings. Following this, she filed a complaint with the Parliament Street Police Station on December 9, 2024, after researching previous FIRs filed against Husain for similar works.
However, when Sachdeva revisited the gallery on December 10, 2024, with an investigating officer, the controversial paintings had mysteriously been removed. Gallery officials claimed that the works were never part of the display.
In response to Sachdeva’s petition, Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Sahil Monga reviewed the Action Taken Report (ATR) submitted by the police. The report included CCTV footage and a list of artworks provided by the gallery.
The court noted that the disputed paintings were listed under Serial Nos. 6 and 10 in the gallery’s inventory.
Judge Monga subsequently ordered the paintings to be seized and instructed the investigating officer to file a report on the seizure by January 22, 2025.
The court will now decide whether to proceed with the registration of an FIR in the case.
