HC seeks responses in case over M F Husain painting 'borrowed' by former Union minister

New Delhi, Nov 22 (PTI) In a criminal breach of trust case over an M F Husain painting that former Union minister Bhanwar Jitendra Singh allegedly borrowed but did not return, the Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the Delhi government and the complainant, seeking their response to a plea filed by him.

Singh has moved the high court, challenging the summons issued to him by a trial court in the case.

According to complainant Rohit Singh Mahiyaria, Singh had borrowed the painting by the celebrated artist, worth over Rs one crore, in April 2014 from the former's mother but failed to return it.

Mahiyaria said the former minister and Congress leader claimed in 2017 that he was unable to locate the painting.

Singh was directed to appear before a magisterial court in a complaint alleging offences of cheating and criminal breach of trust.

Initially, the magisterial court had dismissed the complaint against Singh. The complainant then challenged the order before a sessions court, which set aside the magistrate’s order and asked Singh to appear before the trial court for further proceedings.

Singh approached the high court challenging the sessions court’s November 11 order, which stated that there were prima facie grounds to proceed against him for the offence of criminal breach of trust.

On Friday, Delhi High Court judge Justice Ravinder Dudeja sought the response of the state and complainant Mahiyaria on Singh’s plea and listed it for further hearing on April 7, 2026.

The counsel for Singh said the case is listed before the trial court on November 25 and urged the high court to either stay the proceedings there or permit him to appear through video conferencing.

The high court allowed the petitioner to appear before the trial court through video conferencing.

Singh’s counsel contended that there was no proof of the handing over of the painting and that the allegations are vague, as no date or time of the handing over was mentioned.

He further claimed that the testimonies of the witnesses recorded at the stage of pre-summoning evidence are fraught with inconsistencies and contradictions. PTI SKV PRK PRK