By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 20 May: The Court of Sayyed Gufran, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Dehradun, has rejected the final closure report in the case of an FIR which had been filed on 11 February alleging animal cruelty leading to the death of six puppies in the Uttaranchal Press Club last year. The FIR had been registered by well-known animal activist Mala Malhotra Maithani and had named the office- bearers of the then Executive Committee of the Club and some staff members. The FIR had been filed with Dalanwala Police Station.
The Police had filed a Final Closure Report in the case that there was no evidence of animal cruelty or death of the puppies. This closure report was strongly opposed by Mala Malhotra who alleged that the Police, under the influence of the then Press Club executive, filed the FR without conducting any investigation.
The CJM heard the case yesterday and agreed with the petitioner that the Police and the Investigation Officer did not conduct any substantial investigation into the case and filed the closure report. The Court has ordered a detailed fresh inquiry into the allegations levelled by Mala Malhotra by an experienced IO and has also ordered the submission of the inquiry findings before the court in a timebound manner. In its order, the Court categorically stated that the FR filed by the Police is summarily rejected. The court has also taken note of the claims of Mala Malhotra that she had been visiting the Press Club to take care of the dogs there, to treat them and also feed them. However, the staff of the Press Club and some executive members sternly told her not to visit the Club to feed the animals and banned her entry. She also claimed that the staff clearly told her that the dogs were the property of the Club and they would take responsibility.
Speaking to Garhwal Post, Malhotra claimed that she was forced to register the case with the Court as the Final Report had been filed without her knowledge and the IO had not bothered to speak to her. She tried to approach the higher authorities in the Police but failed to receive any support or cooperation from them.
