Seawoods Resident Sentenced To Imprisonment And Fine For Calling Judges ‘Dog Mafia’ Over Feeding Stray Dogs Dispute

Navi Mumbai: The Bombay High Court sentenced Vineeta Srinandan, a Navi Mumbai resident and Cultural Director of Seawoods Estate Housing Society, to seven days of simple imprisonment and a fine of ₹2,000 for contempt of court. This ruling stemmed from her distribution of a letter that severely criticised judges regarding a housing society dispute involving the feeding of stray dogs.

On January 29, Srinandan shared a letter titled “How Democracy is Being Crushed by Judicial System” with 1,500 residents, making grave allegations against judges from both the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court.

The issue arose following a court order on January 21 that allowed residents’ domestic staff to feed stray dogs, emphasising animal welfare under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. The judges found her letter to be “derogatory, objectionable, and scandalizing,” which led them to initiate suo motu contempt proceedings against her.

The Seawoods Estate’s board of directors distanced itself from her actions and issued an unconditional apology, stating that her views did not represent the society’s stance. Nevertheless, the court held Srinandan solely accountable, asserting that her publication aimed to undermine judicial authority and create distrust.

The court placed a ten-day suspension on the sentence, granting Srinandan the chance to appeal the ruling before the Supreme Court. Her letter marked judges as part of a “dog mafia,” further aggravating the court. Overall, the proceedings were initiated after Srinandan’s materials allegedly scandalized the judiciary and interfered with the justice administration.

Vineeta Srinandan was convicted after circulating a document claiming, “now we are convinced that there is a big dog mafia operating in the country, who has a list of High Court and Supreme Court judges…” This case arose from an ongoing legal dispute among residents of Seawoods Limited regarding the feeding of stray dogs, challenging a rule under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, which requires residential associations to permit the feeding of stray animals. Leela Verma, a resident opposed while feeding dogs in designated areas, filed an Intervention Application.

In January, the court issued an interim order prohibiting the society from hindering Verma’s feeding efforts. Following this, Verma submitted an affidavit that included Srinandan’s controversial document. This document contained allegations of judicial bias and derision towards a reported dog attack incident, asserting that a “big dog mafia” was influencing judicial decisions in favor of dog feeders, which it claimed ignored human life’s value.

The court characterized these statements as deeply offensive, viewing them as a “dedicated attempt” to undermine the judiciary’s dignity and authority. A show-cause notice was served to Srinandan on February 7. Although she later submitted an unconditional apology, the court found it insincere, stating, “We do not accept any apology which does not show any contrition or any genuine remorse.” The bench expressed that her apology seemed merely a legal formality lacking genuine repentance.

The court emphasized that such behavior, particularly from an educated individual like Srinandan, indicated a deliberate effort to tarnish the integrity of the judicial system, posing a significant threat to the authority of the judiciary.