Birdman Pradeep D’souza moves HC, seeks to quash FIR against him

In October 2021, D’Souza was charged under the Wildlife Protection Act and arrested but was granted bail soon thereafter

Mumbai Bird rescuer Pradeep D’souza, who has been booked on charges of dealing in birds and animals by the forest department, has approached the Bombay high court (HC) seeking quashing of the FIR registered against him in 2021 for possessing protected birds and animals. He claims that he had rescued some of them at the behest of the forest department itself.

The petition filed through advocate Amrita Nair has claimed that the 47-year-old has been an animal lover and has been involved in rescuing and saving thousands of injured animals and birds from across the city for the past 25 years due to which he has been given the title of Birdman (HT File)

In October 2021, D’Souza was charged under the Wildlife Protection Act and arrested but was granted bail soon thereafter.

The petition filed through advocate Amrita Nair has claimed that the 47-year-old has been an animal lover and has been involved in rescuing and saving thousands of injured animals and birds from across the city for the past 25 years due to which he has been given the title of Birdman.

D’souza has stated that he has been using the common terrace in the building of his South Mumbai residence to treat injured animals and birds brought to him from all over Mumbai including far flung places like Virar and Nallasopara as well. The petition states that the expenses for the rescue, treatment and rehabilitation of injured birds and animals is borne out of his own pockets or through the donations and contributions he receives from NGO’s and animal lovers.

Referring to the FIR and seizure of the 110 kites, 43 parrots, eight bats, seven barn owls, two eagle owls, two night herons and a seagull from his residence, D’souza states that the complaint by the Forest Range Officer, Thane had been due to a grudge borne against him by the officer.

The filing of the complaint, D’souza states, was prompted due to a communication from him criticising the department for dereliction of duty and not releasing 95 kites that were treated by him in Pune. The petition adds that he had objected to the kites being released in Sanjay Gandhi National Park after being kept in unhealthy conditions, which did not go down well with the forest department officials and hence they initiated the complaint against him.

The petition has stated that the lower court which granted him bail three days after his arrest had also noted that he was serving injured animals and birds and hence could not be accused of dealing in them.

The petition is expected to come up for hearing in August 2.