Flag insult: MPHC's reprieve to Sania

Jabalpur, Mar 6 (UNI) The Madhya Pradesh High Court has granted reprieve to tennis sensation Sania Mirza in a case relating to insulting the national flag.

Justice Rakesh Saxena yesterday quashed the case -- registered by the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Bhopal -- against Sania. The bench said that a complaint could not be registered here -- sans the Centre's permission -- regarding an incident that occurred in the Australian city of Perth. Documents made it seem as if the CJM was ''wrong'' in exercising his jurisdiction in this matter.

On January 2, several newspapers published a photograph of Sania.

The photograph, in which a Tricolour seemed placed near her feet, was flashed on television news channels. Bhopal-resident Prakash Kumar Thakur lodged a complaint, the CJM registered the case on January 9 and ordered issuance of a notice to Sania under Section 2 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act.

Taking cognisance of newspaper reports, Chief Justice Anang Kumar Patnaik forwarded the case to Justice Saxena.

UNI RG-AC AB HT1925