Bombay High Court: The Division Bench of G.S. Kulkarni and Arif S. Doctor, JJ., heard a contempt petition by a resident of a cooperative society who alleged that the respondents had breached earlier orders of this Court wherein they were directed to not employ bouncers in order to stop the petitioner or any other member of the society from feeding the stray dogs. The Court disposed of the said petition when the respondents agreed to discontinue the duties of the two bouncers and to not remove the water bowls kept for the dogs.
RNA Royale Park Cooperative Housing Society had employed two bouncers to stop the residents from feeding the stray dogs having a territorial affinity to the premises of the cooperative society. The Division Bench of this Court passed orders dated 27-3-2023, 28-3-2023 and 24-4-2023 wherein they directed the respondents/contemnor to release the bouncers, but they did not comply, thus laying ground for the present contempt petition. The respondents, to resolve the issues and to put an end to the present proceedings, agreed that they would terminate the service of the bouncers.
The Court also took note of the fact that the Managing Committee of the society was superseded by the State Government and Hanumant Pawar was appointed as an Administrator on 8-2-2025 and directed him to issue an appropriate communication to relieve the duties of the two persons. It further ordered that water bowls which were provided for the dogs would not be removed by the respondents.
The Court also opined that the Administrator should appoint an appropriate committee comprising of five members, which would include the petitioner and two dog lovers and two other members, to look into and amicably resolve such issues if at all they arise.
Considering the fair stand taken on behalf of the respondents, the Court decided not to pass any further orders in the exercise of its contempt jurisdiction, against these contemnors and disposed of the Contempt Petition.
[Paromita Puthran v. Municipal Corpn., Greater Mumbai, Contempt Petition No. 80 of 2024, decided on 10-6-2025]
Advocates who appeared in this case :
For the Petitioner: Gauraj Shah a/w Bhuneshwari Kanojia i/by Samaa Shah.
For the Respondents: Manish Upadhye, AGP for Respondents 8, 10 to 14-State; Rahul Sarda a/w Avadhoot Prabhu i/by Lex Services for Respondents 15 to 17;
Hanumant Pawar, Administrator is present.