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TMC MP Mahua Moitra’s ex, lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai, has challenged a trial court order that restrains him from publicising the ongoing custody battle over their pet dog
TMC MP Mahua Moitra has argued in her suit that Henry belongs to her and has sought joint custody of the Rottweiler. (Image: PTI/File)
A three-year-old custody battle over a pet dog between Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra and her former partner has now taken a “freedom of speech” twist.
Moitra’s ex, lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai, has challenged a trial court order that restrains him from publicising the ongoing custody battle over their pet, a Rottweiler named Henry – effectively a ‘gag’ order.
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The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought Moitra’s response to Dehadrai’s plea even as it asked why both the parties could not sit together and resolve the matter.
According to a report by Bar and Bench, Justice Manoj Jain asked: “Why don’t you sit together and sort it out? What relief is she seeking in the suit?”
Senior advocate Sanjay Ghose, representing Dehadrai, said Moitra is seeking shared custody of Henry while Dehadrai has an issue with a March 2025 order of a trial court that restricts both the parties from talking about the case. He has contended that this order, passed by a Saket court on Moitra’s suit seeking shared custody of the dog, violates his freedom of speech.
The trial court order directs both parties “to ensure that the present proceedings shall not be publicised in any manner”. Calling it a “sweeping gag order”, Dehadrai’s counsel argued that he has been restrained from disclosing the existence of Moitra’s suit in the public domain.
The report said he had earlier posted about the case on social media without mentioning any details but the court found this to be in violation of its order. It passed an ex parte interim injunction restraining him from publishing any remark following which he had deleted the post on X under protest.
In his plea, Dehadrai said the trial court had orally told him to withdraw his application prompting him to move the high court.
“If you are covered by this judgment, that gag order should not have been passed. Then why did you withdraw (your) application (filed earlier before the trial court against its March 2025 order)?” the court was quoted as asking Dehadrai, whose counsel argued that he cannot be restricted from talking about the case.
“A frivolous case is filed against me, and I can’t talk about it, I can’t discuss about it, I can’t write about it? Where is it necessary to the fairness of the trial? She is an MP. Can an MP claim a higher right over a normal plaintiff? And say any case I file will be gagged?” Dehadrai’s counsel was quoted.
Observing Dehadrai’s submission that there is no privacy angle to the trial court’s order, the Delhi HC has posted the matter for further hearing on December 22. It noted that Moitra did not appear for the hearing despite being served advance notice and issued notice to her seeking a response.
Moitra has argued in her suit that Henry belongs to her and has sought joint custody. Dehadrai, meanwhile, has repeatedly said since he bought the dog, it makes him its real guardian and that it was with him since it was 40-days-old.
The bitter custody battle began soon after Moitra’s alleged involvement in the cash-for-query scam, leading to her expulsion from the Lok Sabha in 2023.
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The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
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