Mumbai: The Metropolitan Magistrate, Dadar, has convicted a 40-year-old Worli resident, Rishab Maushik Patel, after his dog bit a resident in the lift in February 2018. Patel has been sentenced to four months of rigorous imprisonment and fined ₹4,000.
The Judicial Magistrate First Class, Suhas Vijaya P. Bhosale, found Patel guilty of causing grievous hurt and negligent conduct regarding animals. In his observations, he stated, “The CCTV footage clearly shows the accused forcibly dragging his pet into the lift, indicating a lack of compassion towards his own animal. He disregarded the presence of the informant and his son, forcing his pet into a space primarily meant for human use, which ultimately resulted in injury to the informant.”
The court further noted, “The accused knowingly failed to take adequate precautions with his pet to prevent any probable danger to human life or the risk of grievous injury to the informant, his son, and Anuj Singh, the complainant’s servant.”
Ordering the fine to be paid to the complainant, the court emphasized, “While sentencing, the suffering of the victim cannot be overlooked. The informant, being the victim of the crime, may have endured both physical and mental distress following the incident. Although monetary compensation cannot fully address his suffering, imposing a fine and directing its payment to him as compensation may offer some relief.”
The complaint was filed by Patel’s neighbor, Ramik Kirti Shah, who also resides on the third floor of Alfa Apartment, Worli. Shah stated that his family lives on the third floor while his parents have a flat on the fourth floor. He also noted that Patel owns a Husky dog.
On February 1, 2018, at 10 a.m., Shah was leaving for work, accompanied by his servant and son. As they descended from the fourth floor, the lift stopped at the third floor, where Patel attempted to enter with his dog. Shah requested Patel to wait and allow them to leave first, citing his son’s cynophobia (fear of dogs), but Patel refused to comply and instead dragged his dog into the lift. Shah alleged that Patel's dog bit his left forearm, prompting him and his servant to exit the lift and rush to a hospital for treatment. Following the incident, Shah lodged a complaint against Patel at Worli Police Station.
Patel’s lawyer argued that Shah delayed taking the anti-rabies vaccine by nearly 12 hours after the incident and claimed that the case stemmed from a dispute between the two families. However, the court dismissed this defense, stating that no substantial evidence had been presented to discredit the testimonies of Shah and his servant.
Furthermore, the court accepted CCTV footage of the building’s passage as key evidence. The footage depicted the lift stopping at the third floor, Patel waiting with his servant and dog, pulling the dog inside the lift, and all individuals exiting within seconds—after which the incident reportedly occurred.
