A Delhi court has reopened criminal proceedings against former Union Minister and ex-Member of Parliament Bhanwar Jitendra Singh in connection with the alleged wrongful retention of a painting by celebrated artist M.F. Husain, said to be worth over ₹1 crore.
The complaint was filed by Rohit Singh Mahiyaria, who claimed that his mother, Dr. Prabha Thakur, also a former MP, had lent the painting to Singh in April 2014. According to the complainant, the artwork was given temporarily so that Singh’s wife could view it before deciding whether to buy it. However, despite repeated requests and even legal notices, the painting was never returned.
The complainant further alleged that Singh instead offered other paintings in exchange, which was declined.
Earlier, a lower court had dismissed the complaint, holding that the issue appeared to be civil in nature. However, the revisional court disagreed and observed that the facts of the case indicated “dishonest retention” of the property, thereby constituting a prima facie case of criminal breach of trust under Section 406 of the Indian Penal Code.
The court noted that Singh was entrusted with the painting for a specific purpose and that his refusal to return it could amount to a criminal offence. The case has now been remanded to the trial court for further proceedings.
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