New Delhi: Accepting their unconditional apology, the Supreme Court on Monday disposed of the contempt of court charges against four members of a municipal body in Kerala and asked them not to repeat such activities relating to stray dog menace in the State. A three-judge bench of Justices Dipak Misran, A.M. Knwilkar and M.M. Shantanagouder told counsel Ramesh babu appearing for B.S. Bijukumar, ward member Kattumpuram, A.S. Sreekantan, ward member Puliyoorkonam, Shahjahan, Chairman of health and education standing committee, Kizhuvilam panchayat and Manju Pradeep, ward member Chirayinkeezhu block panchayat that they should not repeat the contempt alleged in future.
Regarding Jose Maveli and Ranjan Varapuzha, leaders of anti-stray dog campaign, the court asked them to file an affidavit and remain present in the court on September 6. The Bench was hearing contempt petitions filed by animal rights activists that despite the top court’s injunction, stray dogs continued to be killed indiscriminately by vigilante squads in Kerala, with one of the alleged kingpin Jose Maveli even posing for interviews with various national newspapers and also BBC.
The activists placed in the court newspaper clippings of the interviews given by Maveli justifying the killings and boasting that he had so far killed 2000 stray dogs over a year, despite the apex court passing a directive on November 17, last year, restraining vigilante groups in Kerala from killing or training children to kill stray dogs. According to the counsel, Maveli not only had the temerity to kill over 2000 dogs over the past few months but also dumped their carcasses openly in the police stations with cops doing nothing to implement the court’s order. Counsel Prashant Bhushan called for strict action and it was in this context the Bench issued fresh notice and sought his personal appearance in court.
