Delhi HC notice to Centre on plea to trace missing animals of Kolkata-based circus company

The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notice to the Central government and others on a plea seeking to immediately trace the missing 14 animals of a Kolkata-based circus company named Ajanta Circus.

The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notice to the Central government and others on a plea seeking to immediately trace the missing 14 mals of a Kolkata-based circus company named Ajanta Circus.

A Division Bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli asked Centre, mal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), Central Zoo Authority (CZA) and others to file reply on the petition and listed the matter for February 25.

The court was hearing a plea filed by PETA India seeking direction to the respondent to immediately trace the missing 14 mals of the respondent and thereafter seize, confiscate and permanently rehabilitate them to sanctuaries, or rehabilitation centres in case of elephants, horses, camels, birds and other mals and adopted to caring homes, in case of dogs.

It also sought a direction to the respondent to immediately seize and confiscate the performing mals at the premises of the respondent Great Bombay Circus, Rambo Circus, Empire Circus and The Great Indian Circus and thereafter permanently rehabilitate them to sanctuaries, or rehabilitation centres in case of elephants, horses, camels, birds and other mals and adopted to caring homes.

PETA India lawyer Aman Hingor, Himanshu Yadav and Swati Sumbly has submitted that as per affidavit filed by AWBI, it is evidently clear that even the six functional circuses have been "ill-treating" the performing mals, including employing its aged mals (ought to have been retired) for performance or probably using unregistered young mals in the name of the registered old one.

The petitioner submitted that in view of the facts, there is an immediate need to seize and rescue the performing mals with the functional six circuses and to permanently rehabilitate them to sanctuaries, or rehabilitation centres, as the case be.

( With inputs from ANI )