A Bhopal court on Wednesday issued summons to tennis star Sania Mirza [Images] for allegedly disrespecting the national flag during a function some time back.

The summons were issued by Chief Judicial Magistrate Ajay Shrivastava following a case filed by social worker Prakash Singh Thakur under the Prevention of Insult to the National Honour Act (1971).

Thakur has alleged that Mirza disrespected the national tricolour by sitting in a manner so that her feet pointed at the flag, which he felt was derogatory and had hurt him.

The complainant submitted photographs of the 21-year-old player published in several newspapers as evidence.

The court, after recording statements of Thakur and an expert photographer who has confirmed that photographs appear to be genuine, asked the Hyderabad-based player to appear before it on March 3.

The court, however, refused to entertain the complaint against Union Minister for Sports and Youth Welfare Mani Shankar Aiyar in the same case as no evidence was found against him.