A Delhi court has set aside an order for registration of FIR against Union minister Maneka Gandhi’s NGO People for Animals and the Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre for their failure to release over 4000 chicks seized from a truck.
Additional Sessions Judge Dinesh Bhatt granted the relief to the NGO and the hospital after noting their submission that they had no intention to defy the trial court’s order of releasing the chicks, which died during and after transportation.
The court, however, imposed a cost of Rs 1,000 on them and directed them to pay the amount to a Haryana-based poultry farm and asked magisterial court to hear afresh the parties.
“They (NGO and hospital) were also ready to undergo any inquiry in the matter but lodging of an FIR would seriously prejudice their work and also would be detrimental to the good work of the petitioner. In view of the said submission and assurance on behalf of petitioner to sincerely comply with all directions of the court and in the interest of justice as petitioner claimed to be working pro bono for welfare of animal, one opportunity can be provided to them to substantiate their plea before any order is passed against them,” the court said.
The case dates back to March 5, 2012 when Kashmere Gate Police Station officials here seized a truck in which 4030 chicks were being transported allegedly in a cruel manner.
The chicks were sent to the NGO for medical aid and treatment and when they were unloaded from the truck, 3600 of them were found to be dead and remaining were badly dehydrated in critical condition and subsequently died.
According to the websites of the NGO and the hospital, their chairperson is Maneka Gandhi.
The NGO, in its revision petition, said in the meantime, the court ordered release of the chicks without having any information whether they were alive or not and no notice was sent to the organisation in this regard.
Thereafter, a contempt petition was filed and when the order was passed by the trial court, the NGO’s counsel was not present in the court.
The NGO and the hospital challenged the trial court’s order saying there was no deliberate attempt on their part for not complying with its order. It also claimed that the order for release of 4030 chicks could not have been complied with as the birds had already died.
The sessions court noted that as per record, the chicks were handed over to organisation for keeping them in safe custody and the trial court after disposal of the main matter had ordered their release but the same were not released.
A report from the SHO concerned was called as per which a copy of trial court’s order for release of chicks was given to the organisation but they did not hand them over to the applicant poultry farm. The trial court in its February order held that the investigating officer had shown helplessness in the matter as the NGO and hospital were stating to have patronage of big dignitaries.
PTI