Crime branch on a doggy trail

An inspector from the highly specialised unit has been deputed to investigate the case of a dog whose ownership is disputed

Crime branch on a doggy trail

An inspector from the highly specialised unit has been deputedu00a0to investigate the case of a dog whose ownership is disputed

In news that may make criminals breathe a little easier, an inspector of the Mumbai Crime Branch is currently occupied with investigating the case of a dog whose ownership is disputed. While crime branch chief Himanshu Roy, who is a dog lover, was not available for comment, sources from within the unit as well as the complainant, Tanaz Daruwala, confirmed that the crime branch took up the case on his directions.

The dog fight: Pet pug Roger, who was handed over to a dog care
centre last year

According to the complaint (copy with MiD DAY), Daruwala (46), an Agripada resident had handed over her pet pug, Roger, to a dog care centre run by Lekha Singh last year as she was due to deliver a baby and did not have someone to look after the dog.

Daruwala agreed to pay Singh Rs 250 per day and delivered a baby boy at Masina Hospital on September 23, 2010. On October 6, Singh called her up and asked her to take Roger back as she and her family were going on a vacation. Daruwala requested her to keep the dog for a few more days as she was weak and Singh handed Roger over to another dog care centre owner, Ursula Thakkar.

On October 11, Thakkar called Daruwala and asked for the dog's file, which she handed over. Daruwala called Thakkar on December 2 and asked her to give Roger back but Thakkar demanded Rs 7,000 for looking after the dog. Daruwala refused to pay the amount as Thakkar allegedly kept Roger in a kennel with street dogs and did not care for her properly.

Refusal
After a heated argument, Thakkar refused to hand Roger over and told Daruwala that she had changed the dog's ownership details in the original file. Daruwala then approached several NGOs and the local police station but the case did not progress the way she would have liked it to.

She then met Roy on February 23 this year after learning that he liked dogs and Roy appointed a police inspector to investigate the matter. "I hope the crime branch will help me get justice. Thakkar is a well-connected woman," said Daruwala.

The Other Side
"I am out of town. I am in a meeting and will not be able to talk," Himanshu Roy said when we contacted him.
While Thakkar was not available for comment, her secretary Rhoda Master said she was out of town the first time we called and then said she was driving. MiD DAY tried to contact Thakkar through her Facebook page but we did not get a reply.

Singh said, "I kept Roger for a few days and looked after him properly. I handed him over to Thakkar and am aware that a crime branch inquiry is going on. The inspector has recorded my statement too and I am ready to face any type of inquiry or investigation."