Court fines Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre ₹2L, orders probe into its operations

The court also faulted the centre for failing to file a status report detailing the number of animals in its custody, noting that it was shocking that an animal care centre was unable to place such crucial information on record

A Delhi court on Friday directed the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) to conduct a comprehensive, timebound inquiry into the functioning of the Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre (SGACC), after finding that the organisation had systematically violated animal cruelty laws by illegally taking custody of 10 dogs from a man and selling them to third parties without a magistrate’s order or veterinary inspection.

The court went on to request the AWBI to institute an inquiry to comprehensively examine the conduct and functioning of the centre, including its adherence to animal cruelty rules. (Representational image)

In a 31-page order, additional sessions judge Surabhi Sharma Vats of the Karkardooma courts dismissed SGACC’s revision plea, observing: “Such action (by the centre) is ex facie illegal and amounts to usurpation of judicial powers by a private entity, aided by the police, in complete disregard of statutory procedure.”

The revision plea by SGACC had been filed against an earlier district court order directing the release of the dogs to their owner, who had been accused of animal cruelty.

The court also faulted the centre for failing to file a status report detailing the number of animals in its custody, noting that it was shocking that an animal care centre was unable to place such crucial information on record.

“Such calculated silence on the part of the revisionist… gives rise to an unavoidable inference that this alleged ‘animal care facility’ has consciously withheld the report because its disclosure would have the potential to expose serious irregularities, illegalities and gross negligence in the manner in which the animals were handled while under its custody,” the court said.

The court went on to request the AWBI to institute an inquiry to comprehensively examine the conduct and functioning of the centre, including its adherence to animal cruelty rules. It also asked the concerned ministry to conduct a parallel probe into SGACC’s functioning.

The order stated, “…the facts that have unfolded before this court reflect a systematic pattern of unauthorised control, concealment and disregard for law by the revisionist under the garb of animal welfare, where the voiceless suffer in the shadows of institutional impunity.”

The court also imposed a cost of ₹2 lakh on SGACC, directing that the amount be deposited in a government animal welfare fund to be utilised under the National Livestock Mission.

According to the centre, the dogs were seized from the respondent, Vishal, as part of an investigation into an animal cruelty case registered against him at the Jagatpuri police station.

However, Vishal approached the court through advocates Mayank Sharma and Shakeel Ahmad and moved a superdari application in August 2025, seeking the temporary release of his pet dogs from the centre’s custody. The court subsequently directed SGACC to release the 10 dogs to him with police assistance.

The animal care centre later moved a revision plea this month, challenging the trial court’s directions.

In its revision plea, SGACC’s counsel argued that releasing the animals to the accused was contrary to the object and statutory framework of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and cited practical difficulties in identifying the specific dogs due to staff shortages.