The Supreme Court on Monday stayed criminal proceedings against cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni for allegedly 'denigrating' a Hindu god by posing as Lord Vishnu on the cover page of a magazine.

The apex court also issued notice to social activist Jayakumar Hiremath, who had filed the case against Dhoni. The complainant had alleged that the cricketer had outraged religious sentiments.

The apex court, which posted the matter for hearing on October 1, directed the complainant to file his response before that. Dhoni had earlier approached the apex court seeking quashing of a criminal case against him in the Karnataka high court for allegedly outraging religious sentiments for his portrayal of Lord Vishnu on a magazine cover.

The high court, however, refused to quash the case, prompting Dhoni to file an appeal in the apex court.