The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked the Ministry of Environment and Forest to clarify as to what action has been taken against a veterinary officer, who has been accused by Delhi Zoo director of tampering with official documents.
The court was hearing a plea seeking direction to the National Zoological Park to preserve the records relating to activities and inventory of zoo here following allegations that the veterinary officer (VO) was tampering with evidence and involved in destruction of official documents after a petition had been filed earlier alleging rampant irregularities in the administration there.
A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao, perused the response of the ministry, which was placed before it by the counsel but was yet to be filed with the registry, and said it was not "specific and clear" and does not indicate what action has been taken against the VO.
The court was informed by the ministry's counsel that a high level committee was constituted and two meetings have been held.
The bench, however, said the reply does not indicate the minutes of meetings and decision taken and whether the VO has been suspended.
The ministry's counsel sought time to seek instructions on the queries raised by the court.
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The bench granted one week's time and directed the ministry to file a detailed affidavit giving details of the action taken against the VO and to indicate the time by when the committee would conclude its inquiry.
It listed the matter for further hearing on November 13.
The application was filed in a pending petition by animals rights activist, Gauri Maulekhi, alleging rampant irregularities and illegalities, like suppression of deaths of protected species in the administration of the National Zoological Park in the city as well as the veterinary care being provided to the animals lodged there.
In the application, she claimed that she has received through a whistle-blower a copy of the the letter sent by the director of the zoo to the inspector general of forests (Wildlife), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) which mentioned serious concerns of tampering with documentation, destruction of official documents after receiving notice in this case.
It said destruction of official records, particularly those relevant to a case before the high court, has serious ramifications as it could prevent the court from effectively deciding the case by not having access to all the materials relevant to the case.
"The destruction of records relevant to a matter pending in this court would also amount to interference in the proceedings and processes of the court and, therefore, in the administration of justice. Such brazen acts may even amount to contempt of court," the application said.
The court had earlier directed the zoo director to preserve the relevant records, failing which he would be held responsible for any dereliction or destruction of the record.
The court had on May 25, sought response of the Centre on the petition which has referred to the Central Zoo Authority's (CZA) findings indicating death of a large number of animals from protected species, including langur and hog deer, at the Delhi zoo and alleged that there was a total breakdown in the administration at the National Zoological Park, which was set up in 1959.
According to the petition, the CZA had also found that there was "suppression of the deaths through the submission of inaccurate inventory reports and fabricated post mortem reports".
The other instances of alleged irregularities included capture of animals like monitor lizards and small Indian civets from the wild and "illegally placing them in the zoo to cover up the large number of deaths", the plea, filed through advocate Mihir Samson, said.
The authority had also found negligence in the medical care provided to the animals at the zoo, apart from "widespread use of expired medication as well as illegal procurement and missing stock of schedule X drug Ketamine, a notified psychotropic substance", the petition claimed.
The plea has sought a direction to the ministry to establish an independent expert committee for oversight of the zoo as well as initiation of disciplinary and criminal action against all the erring staff working there.
The petition has sought that the CZA's reports and findings be adopted and implemented.