New Delhi, May 24 (IANS) A Delhi court has directed the registration of a case against a veterinary hospital-cum-shelter, run by Bharatiya Janata Party MP Maneka Gandhi, for causing the death of 36 calves sent to its custody.

Metropolitan Magistrate Naresh Kumar Laka Tuesday said: “The Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre (SGACC) is a welfare organisation to take care of the animals but from the above incident, it appears that the SGACC did not perform its duties and resultantly 36 animals died.”
The court accordingly directed the police to register a first information report.
The court also issued a show cause notice and sought a reply by June 27 from the investigating Officer.
According to complainant Saheed, 61 of his calves were left under the care of SGACC April 30 when he was caught by police for overloading and transporting them.
Later, he pleaded guilty in a court in Haryana’s Faridabad which ordered the release of the animals from the shelter.
The complaint, filed through advocate Sanobar Ali Qureshi, said the veterinary hospital refused to release the animals saying that 36 of the calves had died and the remaining were in a critical condition.