In a strong message against defamatory remarks targeting the judiciary, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday sentenced a woman, Vineeta Srinandan, to one week in jail for criminal contempt.
The punishment stems from a circular she authored that accused judges of the High Court and Supreme Court of being part of a so-called "dog mafia."
A bench of Justices GS Kulkarni and Advait M Sethna observed,
“We are of the clear opinion that the contemnor is guilty of having committed criminal contempt of Court... The iron hands of law apply equally irrespective of the category of the contemnors.”
While the Court acknowledged the gravity of the offense, it opted for a reduced sentence in view of the case’s circumstances. Srinandan was also fined ₹2,000.
The matter arose from a petition filed by Seawoods Estates Limited, a housing society in Navi Mumbai, challenging provisions of the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023. During proceedings, a resident, Leela Verma, sought intervention, claiming her rights were affected. In her affidavit, she submitted a circular written by Srinandan, then the society’s cultural director.
Dated January 29, 2025, the circular was distributed to over 1,500 families in the housing complex. It alleged the existence of a “dog feeders’ mafia” allegedly supported by judges who, according to the letter, routinely disregarded the public’s concerns about dog attacks. One excerpt read:
“Now we are convinced that there is a big Dog mafia operating in the country, who has a list of High Court and Supreme Court judges having views similar to the dog feeders... most of the high court/supreme court orders will defend dog feeders ignoring the value of human life.”
This prompted the Court to issue contempt notices to both Srinandan and Seawoods Estates.
Seawoods Estates distanced itself from the circular, clarifying through an affidavit that it had neither approved nor endorsed the content. The Court accepted the society's apology, noting that the circular reflected Srinandan’s personal views, not those of the management.
Srinandan later claimed she had acted under pressure from residents and did not intend to discredit the judiciary. She submitted an affidavit expressing regret and informed the Court that she had resigned from her post.
However, the Court found her apology insincere:
“We do not accept any apology, which does not show any contrition or genuine remorse... Such conduct cannot escape punishment.”
The bench criticized the circular as a calculated attempt to scandalize the judiciary and erode public trust:
“This is not a case of fair criticism. The writings are a deliberate effort to bring the Court and the Judges to disrepute and interfere with the administration of justice.”
The Court directed Srinandan to surrender before the police at the High Court premises. Her sentence has been suspended for 10 days at the request of her counsel.
Srinandan was represented by Senior Advocate Vikram Nankani with a team from AVP Partners. Seawoods Estates was represented by Advocates Amjith M Anandhan and team, while various government and institutional bodies, including the Union of India, Animal Welfare Board, and multiple municipal corporations, were also represented in the matter.
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