Court Fines SGACC ₹5,000 for Failing to Release All Seized Dogs

A court on Thursday fined the Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre (SGACC) ₹5,000 for not fully complying with its order to release all 10 dogs seized during an investigation.

Additional Sessions Judge Surabhi Sharma Vats imposed the fine after the investigating officer informed the court that only eight of the 10 dogs had been released. Earlier, on January 13, the court had directed SGACC to hand over custody of all the seized dogs, observing that the shelter’s conduct showed blatant non-compliance, gross negligence and deliberate misrepresentation.

At Thursday’s hearing, the investigating officer said eight dogs had been returned to Vishal, the owner, while two dogs — a Poodle and a Maltese — were still with the animal care centre. On January 16, the court had again pulled up SGACC for failing to follow its order, calling its explanation “totally unsatisfactory” and “evasive.”

The matter stems from a criminal revision petition filed by SGACC challenging a magistrate’s order directing the release of the dogs to Vishal, who is named as an accused in an FIR registered at the Jagat Puri police station.

SGACC’s counsel told the court that Vishal refused to take custody of the Poodle, claiming it did not belong to him, prompting the court to seek complete medical records. The shelter also admitted that it could not trace the Maltese dog.

Vishal’s lawyer told the court that four of the eight returned dogs appeared mutilated and that two dogs — a Poodle and a Maltese — were not returned. He added that the Poodle produced by SGACC did not belong to his client, which is why custody was refused.

The court directed SGACC to hand over the Poodle to its owner and asked the centre to submit a detailed report on the missing Maltese at the next hearing. The matter has been listed for February 4.