Particle.news
Download on the App Store
3 ARTICLES
·
last mo.

Delhi Court Orders Prosecution of Congress Leader in MF Husain Painting Case

A Special Court found prima facie criminal breach of trust based on alleged dishonest retention of an entrusted artwork.

The painting, bought from Mumbai’s Sachi Gallery for ₹22 lakh, was never returned, prompting a criminal breach of trust case nearly a decade later. (HT Archive)
Image
Image

Overview

  • Special Judge Jitendra Singh at Rouse Avenue Courts set aside a March 21 magistrate order that had dismissed the complaint as a civil dispute.
  • The court directed proceedings for the offence under Section 406 of the IPC and ordered both parties to appear before the trial court on November 25, 2025.
  • According to the complaint, former MP Dr. Prabha Thakur lent the painting to Bhanwar Jitendra Singh in April 2014 only to show it to his wife and consider purchase.
  • The order notes repeated requests for return, a 2017 assertion that the work was not locatable with an offer of Bundi miniatures, and an unanswered 2019 legal notice.
  • The painting was reportedly bought from Mumbai’s Sachi Gallery for over ₹22 lakh and is alleged to be worth around ₹1 crore, with the accused identified as a Congress leader and former Union minister.