The ongoing legal battle between lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai and Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra over the custody of their pet Rottweiler, Henry, has taken a new turn with Dehadrai challenging a trial court's gag order in the Delhi High Court. The case, which initially centered on Moitra's suit for joint custody of the dog filed in Saket district court after the breakdown of their relationship, has now raised concerns about freedom of speech and the public's right to know.
Justice Manoj Jain of the Delhi High Court presided over Wednesday's hearing and questioned why the parties could not resolve the dog custody issue amicably outside of court. "Why don't you sit together and sort it out?" Justice Jain inquired, also seeking Moitra's response to Dehadrai's plea. The court has scheduled further hearings for December 22 and has asked Dehadrai to comply with the trial court's order until then. Moitra did not appear for Wednesday's session despite receiving advance notice.
Dehadrai's challenge focuses on a March 2025 order by a Saket Court that restricts both parties from publicizing the legal proceedings in any manner. Dehadrai argues that this "sweeping gag order" infringes upon his fundamental right to freedom of speech, preventing him from even disclosing the existence of the custody case to the public. He contends that there is no privacy concern that justifies the gag order. Senior Advocate Sanjay Ghose, representing Dehadrai, asserted that his client should not be barred from discussing what he views as a frivolous case. Ghose referenced the Supreme Court's ruling in Ajay Kumar vs. Union of India to counter the imposition of such a gag order.
The dispute escalated when Dehadrai posted a tweet about the case, without revealing specific details, which the trial court deemed a violation of its March order, leading to an ex parte interim injunction against him. Dehadrai removed the post under protest and subsequently filed his appeal in the High Court.
The backdrop to this custody battle involves a larger dispute between Dehadrai and Moitra, beginning with Dehadrai's complaint to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in October 2023. In his complaint, Dehadrai accused Moitra of parliamentary impropriety, corruption, and accepting money and favors in exchange for raising questions in Parliament. Moitra was subsequently disqualified from the Lok Sabha in December 2023 over her “direct involvement” in the cash-for-query charges and “unethical” conduct. She contested and won the subsequent byelection, returning to represent the Krishnanagar constituency. Dehadrai also accused Moitra of kidnapping Henry in October 2023 to "harass and blackmail" him. He claimed to have purchased Henry for ₹75,000 in January 2021, considering their relationship "that of a parent and a child".
