HC extends stay on M F Hussain's trial

new delhi: the delhi high court today extended further the stay on trial proceedings against artist m f hussain in the hindu goddess 'saraswati' painting cases. the noted painter is facing cases for alleged outraging the religious feelings and promoting enmity between different groups, filed on complaints of several sangh parivar activists. justice k s gupta continued the stay till october 19 on trial proceedings in eight cases against hussain, transferred to a patiala house court here from various courts across the country on the orders of the supreme court.the stay was extended by justice gupta while hearing hussain's petition for quashing of the complaints filed against him by sangh parivar activists in various courts. hussain's counsel ranjit kumar and satish tamta arguing on his different petitions for quashing of complaints, clubbed for hearing before the delhi high court, requested the court to for continue the stay on trial till his petitions were disposed of. hussain had filed petitions for quashing the complaints in patna, jabalpur and mumbai high courts as three cases each were filed against him in bihar and madhya pradesh, while two were filed in maharashtra. his counsel said since these high courts had stayed the trial proceedings in the lower courts, the same should be continued till final disposal of his plea in high court.