Delhi HC asks Centre to consider plea for law against sexual crimes on animals
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday (May 28, 2025) asked the Centre to treat as a representation a petition by the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO) seeking urgent and specific legal provision to prosecute sexual crimes against animals.
Also Read | Concerns grow over legal vacuum as India moves to repeal Section 377 in the wake of disturbing cases of sexual assault of animals
The petition came in the wake of the complete repeal of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
The plea argued that though Section 377 was rightly read down by the Supreme Court in its 2018 judgment to decriminalise consensual same-sex relationships, the Section's complete deletion from the BNS has inadvertently decriminalised sexual violence against animals, leaving them unprotected by law.
The plea said there is a 'legal vacuum' created by the omission of provision dealing with sexual crimes against animals, which were previously covered under Section 377.
FIAPO, in its plea, also highlighted close to 50 cases of sexual abuse against farmed, companion and wild animals.
It said in just the month of April 2025, three cases came to light: in Delhi's Shahdara area, where a man was arrested for allegedly raping multiple dogs; in Delhi's Saket area, where a pet dog was found unconscious on the road and died later, with a condom being retrieved from the dog's private parts; and in Coimbatore's Temple Town, where a construction worker was found sexually abusing a dog. The court, however, observed that it would not interfere with the legislative procedure. It directed the government to decide the issue in a time-bound manner.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
18 minutes ago
- Time of India
Arms haul case: Court refuses bail to gangster Chhota Rajan, says offences serious
A special court here has refused bail to gangster Chhota Rajan in a 2005 arms case noting that the offence is of a serious nature. Special judge A M Patil, in his order of May 28, also refused to accept Rajan's argument of delay in trial. "The present matter is of serious nature. Prosecution has already examined a total of 45 witnesses and as per the prosecution, the trial is likely to be completed soon," the court said. Rajan is not entitled to bail in the present case, the court said. A huge cache of 34 revolvers, three pistols, one silencer and 1283 live cartridges meant for use by Rajan's henchmen as part of a crime syndicate was seized by police in 2005. The prosecution's claim is that the arms were imported by Rajan's close aide Bharat Nepali. Live Events Rajan was booked under various provisions of Indian Penal Code, Arms Act, Customs Act and Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA). Rajan, in his bail plea, said he has been implicated in the case despite no evidence and that he has been in judicial custody since his arrest in 2015. Rajan, who is presently lodged at the Tihar jail in Delhi, also cited delay in the trial in the case. PTI Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Indian Express
41 minutes ago
- Indian Express
‘Entire complexion of Delhi HC is changing': Justice Dharmesh Sharma, who held Kuldeep Sengar guilty in Unnao rape case, retires
Terming it a positive change, Justice Dharmesh Sharma of the Delhi High Court said Friday that 'the entire complexion of the HC is changing' with 'so many outsiders coming'. He was speaking at a farewell organised for him by the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) ahead of his official retirement on June 8, when the court will be on vacation. The remarks come at a time when the Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India B R Gavai on May 26 recommended the transfer of three judges to the Delhi High Court, including Justice Nitin Sambre of the Bombay High Court, Justice Vivek Chaudhary from the Allahabad High Court, and Justice V Kameswar Rao, who is being repatriated to his parent high court of Delhi from Karnataka High Court. Incumbent Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya too took charge in January after being transferred from the Bombay High Court. As a judge of the trial court and the special court to hear cases under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, Justice Sharma had in 2019 held former BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar guilty of rape of a minor girl in Unnao in 2017. Stating that he will join the Bar 'soon', Justice Sharma said, 'A lot many things are happening, if I'm allowed to say. The entire complexion of the (Delhi) HC is also changing and…sometimes now this high court is looking like an IPL franchise because so many outsider players are coming and (will) come in future. I think it's a good thing…' 'I don't know how to end my note because it is a little emotional for me… I'm thankful… The justice delivery system needs some overhauling, some changes, yes. You may please bring about some objectivity to whatever is happening around… We can do more about it,' he added. Speaking at the full court farewell reference of Justice Sharma, Chief Justice Upadhyaya said on Friday, 'He was deeply involved in the institutionalising of legal aid framework, infrastructure development and streaming of various legal awareness programmes across the Capital…He is known to be a judge of great practical wisdom and he always remained oriented to grant relief to litigants in the court.' Justice Sharma had, in September 2024, dismissed a petition by the Shahi Idgah (Waqf) managing committee opposing the installation of a Rani of Jhansi statue inside the Shahi Idgah Park in Sadar Bazar and sought that the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) be restrained from such encroachments. Earning his law degree in 1987, he practised at trial courts in Delhi, mainly in civil matters. He was also appointed as the additional standing counsel of the Centre during this time before joining the Delhi Judicial Services in 1992. After serving a little over a decade, he was elevated to the Delhi Higher Judicial Services in August 2003. From 2017-19, he served as a principal judge of the family court and was later appointed as principal district judge of New Delhi till he was elevated to the Delhi High Court in May 2023. He served as secretary of the Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee during 2007-08 and also as member secretary of Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) during 2014-17.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Muktsar blast: Firecracker factory was operating without permission, says DC; owner arrested
The firecracker factory in Punjab's Muktsar, where a blast killed five workers and injured 34 others in the intervening night of Thursday and Friday, was allegedly operating without permission from the district authorities. Following the incident, the owner of the factory has been arrested, the police said. The two-storey building, which housed the factory in Singhewala village, also collapsed in the blast. 'No permission was granted to the factory under the required Explosives Rules, 2008,' said Abhijeet Kaplish, Deputy Commissioner (DC), Muktsar. The owner had reportedly submitted a request before the deputy commissioner's office for necessary approval, but the file was yet to be processed. 'The district administration's top priority remains the care and treatment of the injured. A detailed inquiry is underway, and the strictest action will be taken against those found responsible,' the DC said. He added that several of the seriously injured have been shifted to AIIMS Bathinda, while others are being treated at the Civil Hospital in Badal village under the Punjab Government's Farishtey scheme. Following preliminary investigation, the Muktsar police arrested the owner Tarsem Singh and lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against him and his son Navraj Singh. The two allegedly ran the factory together. Sources revealed that all the paperwork seeking licence for the unit was in the name of Navraj. They have been booked under stringent sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 118(2) (voluntarily causing grievous hurt using dangerous means), and 3(5) (group liability in crimes committed with shared intent). Additionally, the FIR includes charges under section 98 of the Explosives Act, 1884, which empowers the central government to prohibit dangerous explosive activities, and section 92 of the Factories Act, 1948, which deals with penalties for violation of safety and regulatory norms. The police said they are yet to identify the deceased as several of their coworkers, who could have helped in identifying them, have also been hospitalised. The contractor who brought the workers from Uttar Pradesh is yet to arrive, which has also delayed the identification process. Akhil Chaudhary, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Muktsar, said, 'Our forensic team is investigating to determine the reason behind this incident.' Punjab Cabinet Minister and Lambi MLA Gurmeet Singh Khuddian visited the victims who are under treatment at AIIMS, Bathinda. He inquired about their condition and assured them that the entire cost of their treatment will be borne by the Punjab Government. He stated the government stands with the affected families and will leave no stone unturned in ensuring justice to them. 'Those responsible will not be spared under any circumstances, and the strictest legal action will be taken against them,' he asserted. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal, who met the injured workers at AIIMS, termed the incident 'a failure of governance.' He alleged that the illegal factory was running under political patronage. 'There were no fire safety measures, and even minor children were employed at the site. I met a few of them. Shockingly, the contractor disappeared after the blast, and the factory owner was of no help to the trapped workers,' he said. Demanding strict action against the accused, Badal added, 'If the government does not act firmly, SAD will launch an agitation at the site. Such tragedies must not be allowed to repeat. We demand immediate compensation for the affected families and a high-level inquiry into how such a dangerous operation continued unchecked.' He urged the state government to ensure accountability and stricter enforcement of industrial safety norms across Punjab.
