1 CP-10-2021.DOC

Meena

IN THE HIGH COURT OF BOMBAY AT GOA

CONTEMPT PETITION NO.10 OF 2021

PEOPLE FOR ANIMALS, THR. ITS PRESIDENT,

NORMA ALVARES

vs

PARIMAL RAI AND 6 ORS

….Petitioners

…. Respondents

Ms. Norma Alvares with Ms. A. Gode, Advocates for the petitioners.

Mr. D.J. Pangam, Advocate General with Ms. Maria Correia, Additional

Government Advocate for the respondents.

_______________________

CORAM: A. K. MENON &

R. N. LADDHA, JJ

DATED: 7

th April, 2022

_______________________

ORAL ORDER : (Per A. K. MENON, J.)

By this petition, the petitioners seek initiation of contempt

proceedings against the respondents for alleged failure to implement and

execute the directions in Judgment dated 20/12/1996 in Writ Petition

No. 347 of 1996 and to file a compliance report. It also seeks further

directions to submit a report on a number of cases where persons have

been booked for organizing/conducting bull fights, charge-sheets filed

and convictions secured, if any, against the organizers of such bull fights

in both North and South Goa Districts and an order constituting a

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1 CP-10-2021.DOC

monitoring committee with members of the Society for the Prevention of

Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) who will submit a quarterly monitoring report

to show compliance in the enforcement of the ban that has been put in

force pursuant to Judgment dated 20/12/1996.

2.

We have today heard Ms. A. Gode, learned Counsel for the

petitioners in support and the learned Advocate General who seeks to

oppose this petition. The petitioners have contended that there are a

large number of bullfights that are continuing to be organized on a

regular basis despite the ban. Our attention has been drawn to

paragraph 9 of the petition which sets out that at least eight such

instances have come to light between January, 2021 to August, 2021, i.e.,

till the date the Contempt Petition was filed. It is stated by the learned

Counsel for the petitioners that the organizers of these illegal fights have

now been emboldened by a lack of action and have now started

Facebook groups, Instagram profiles and have thus adopted social media

as a means of publicizing these fights. Instances of these groups having

being posted videos of actual fights have also been set out in paragraph

11. It is further contended that the respondents are in contempt of

orders of this Court inasmuch as despite the ban imposed it continues to

be only on paper with no effective enforcement in practical terms.

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3.

On behalf of the respondents, the learned Advocate General relied

upon an affidavit in reply of Dr. Agostinho Antonio Rosario Misquita,

Director, Directorate of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services

which has set out the various instances where Police Authorities have

received complaints from members of the general public pertaining to

bullfights being organized across the State. The respondents have set out

District-wise cases between the year 2018 to 2020 and till September,

2021.

4.

From the number of cases registered and a number of persons

arrested, we find that there is not a single conviction and that is one of

the aspects which the petitioners are highlighting. The affidavit sets out

that action taken as and when information is received about the

organizers of the bullfights. The Police Authorities have taken timely

action. Paragraph No.10 of the affidavit sets out that 117, calls were

received by the Police Control Room at Margao regarding illegal

bullfights. Police Authorities swung into action on the basis of calls and

out of 117, in 11 cases 4 bullfights were prevented and 7 have resulted

in offences being registered at Police Stations in the South Goa District.

In 106 cases, the respondents have stated that on verification of the

location identified upon the telephonic complaints no bullfights were

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