Chennai: An animal lover here has issued a legal notice to Maneka Gandhi alleging that a woman claiming to be the minister herself had threatened him over the phone asking him to withdraw his case in the Madras high court about the malfunctioning of the government dog-breeding centre at Saidapet in south Chennai.
Advocate R. Srinivas representing petitioner E. Seshan, who had retired as wildlife photographer at the Zoological Survey of India, sent the notice to Ms Gandhi on July 30 asking the minister to identify the person who had made the offensive phone call from the number, 911123357088 to his client on his mobile number 9841155282 at 7.28 pm on July 29 (2014).
“The number (911123357088) seems to be from the phone at your residence. If it is made by some other person, kindly take action to ensure that such mischiefs do not occur”, lawyer Srinivas told the minister in his notice, adding that appropriate action would be taken based on her reply.
He accused Ms Gandhi of trying to interfere in the course of justice by asking a litigant to withdraw his case, which is tantamount to contempt of court.
“What has happened is retrograde and deplorable. Our client is a known and bonafide animal lover and Public Interest Litigant. He needs no advice on how to go about his affairs. Warnings in this regard are contumacious and illegal”, said the lawyer in his notice to the minister, a copy of which is available with Deccan Chronicle, Chennai.
The notice included details of the alleged phone conversation. It said: “...a lady spoke to our client. The conversation went thus:
“Lady: Is it Mr Seshan?
Our client: Yes.
Lady: I am Maneka.
Our client: Which Maneka?
Lady: Maneka Gandhi, Central Minister.
Our client: Yes Madam.
Lady: You have filed a case in the Madras High Court against closure of the dog-breeding centre in Chennai.
Our client: Yes Madam.
Lady: I know that you have filed the case on the advice of local breeders. You are making money through the litigation.
Our client: Madam, this is wrong. I don’t want to make money. I am in debts. Money has never been the criteria in my life.
Lady: You want to clear your debts using this?
Our client: Don’t talk rubbish Madam.
Lady: I know you people are making money.
Our client: Madam, you send your investigation team and investigate. I have nothing to hide.
Lady: No, no. You withdraw the case immediately. Let the (dog-breeding) centre be closed. If not, I know how to tackle and deal with you. First you withdraw the case. I will help you to develop the native breeds. You have to do it tomorrow. You know I am also an animal lover.
Our client: Give me two days to think.”
The lawyer in his notice said after that, the line got cut. “Our client was dazed. This conversation is reproduced from his memory to the best of his abilities”.
This correspondent dialed 01123357088 and it turned out to be Minister Gandhi’s office phone number. When contacted over her mobile number, she shot back: “It’s a cheap publicity stunt against me. I don’t want to talk about this further”.
Meanwhile, the high court acted on Mr Seshan’s petition about the poor functioning of the government dog-breeding centre and ordered on Tuesday (August 5) that the centre should set things right within three months and its future would be decided thereafter depending on the report from the animal welfare board of India after due inspection.
