Petition seeking prosecution of Obama for defaming India 'dismissed as withdrawn'

ALLAHABAD: A petition, filed in the Allahabad High Court seeking prosecution of US President Barack Obama for allegedly defaming India by commenting on religious intolerance in the country, was today "dismissed as withdrawn".

The order was passed by Justice Pankaj Naqvi following a submission by petitioner Sushil Kumar Mishra, a city-based advocate, that he wished to withdraw his criminal revision petition.

The petitioner had moved the High Court on March 31, challenging an order of a local court here whereby his petition seeking prosecution of Obama was dismissed citing diplomatic immunity.

In his petition filed before the High Court, Mishra had sought to argue that as per the Constitution, criminal proceedings could not be initiated against only the President and Governors of states and that Obama, being the head of a foreign country, enjoyed no such immunity.