The Delhi High Court has scheduled a hearing for July 16, 2025, to consider a public interest litigation (PIL) urging the prosecution of individuals committing sexual offenses against animals. The bench, comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, set the date on May 28, 2025, to allow the petitioner to present additional evidence.
The PIL, filed by the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO) through advocate Varnika Singh, raises concerns over the unintended consequences of repealing Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) under the newly enacted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). While the Supreme Court’s 2018 Navtej Singh Johar ruling appropriately decriminalised consensual same-sex relationships by reading down Section 377, the complete removal of the provision from the BNS has inadvertently eliminated legal protections against sexual violence toward animals, leaving a critical gap in the law, the PIL contends.
The plea references the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, which, in its review of the BNS, acknowledged the removal of Section 377 and recommended its reinstatement to address non-consensual sexual offenses, including those against animals, men, and transgender individuals. The petitioner seeks to restore a specific provision criminalising sexual abuse of animals, as previously covered under Section 377 of the IPC.
The PIL highlights recent incidents to underscore the urgency of the issue. In April 2025, Delhi reported two disturbing cases, one in Shahdara, where an individual was apprehended for allegedly sexually assaulting multiple dogs, and another in Saket, where a pet dog was found unconscious on a roadside with evidence of sexual abuse, later succumbed to its injuries. Additionally, the plea cites a case in Coimbatore involving a construction worker caught sexually abusing a dog.
Bharati Ramachandran, CEO of FIAPO, emphasized the vulnerability of animals, stating, “Animals lack the ability to protect themselves or seek justice. It is imperative that the legal system safeguards them from sexual violence.”
The upcoming hearing will examine the need for legislative measures to reinstate protections for animals, addressing a significant oversight in the current legal framework.
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