GUWAHATI: A woman was sentenced to one week in jail by the Bombay High Court after she accused judges of the high court and Supreme Court of being part of a “dog mafia.” The court held that her actions amounted to criminal contempt and imposed a fine of ₹2,000 in addition to the jail term.
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The sentencing was passed on Wednesday, April 23, following an incident which arose from a petition filed by Seawoods Estates Limited, a housing society in Navi Mumbai, which had challenged a provision in the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023.
During the hearing, Leela Verma, a resident of the society, intervened and submitted an affidavit containing a controversial circular. The circular, dated January 29, was authored by Vineeta Srinandan, then the society’s cultural director.
The circular was circulated among around 1,500 residents and alleged that a “dog feeders’ mafia” was operating in urban areas with the support of judges. It claimed that these judges ignored dog attacks and protected feeders over public safety. The document stated that courts were defending dog feeders while “ignoring the value of human life.”
Following this, the high court issued contempt notices to both Srinandan and Seawoods Estates. The society filed an affidavit disassociating itself from Srinandan’s remarks, stating the circular was not approved by the board. The court accepted this clarification and dropped proceedings against the society.
Srinandan, in her response, claimed she had acted under pressure from residents and did not intend to disrespect the judiciary. She expressed regret and mentioned resigning from her post. However, the court rejected her apology, calling it insincere and lacking remorse.
Srinandan was directed to surrender at the high court's police station. Following a request by her counsel, her sentence was suspended for 10 days.
