Mumbai: Activists of Maneka Gandhi's NGO defend FIR over extorting money from pet owners

Mumbai: A day after the Free Press Journal published about how the Ghaziabad Police had booked two members of Maneka Gandhi's NGO- People for Animals (PFA), one of them contacted this newspaper on Monday to narrate their side of the story. 

In the FIR, lodged by Ghaziabad-based resident Ravi Vikram Bhatanagar, it was alleged that Lata Parmar, Mumbai President of PFA and Durga Rai, an activist at PFA, has allegedly extorted money from pet owners while also hurting religious sentiments by spreading “hateful” posts through social media.

Parmar: Bhatnagar is a molester and cyberstalker

Now, as per Parmar, they have registered three cases against Bhatnagar and his alleged partner.

“Both of them are partners in crime. They are associated with smuggling of animals, illegal dog breeding, extortion by hurting people, and habitual offenders and criminals,” Parmar told FPJ on Monday, further alleging that Bhatnagar is a molester and cyberstalker, who has not appeared in any of the hearings at court – related to the three FIRs against him at Kurar Police station in Malad, Kashmira Police station in Mira-Bhayandar and Sahibabad Police station in Ghaziabad. 

Similarly, there are around five FIRs against Bhatnagar's partner, Parmar alleged. The FPJ accessed all the copies of the FIRs and court letter which has been verified beforehand.

“Among the three FIR against Bhatnagar, in the two cases – the police are currently filing the chargesheet that will be provided at the court of law and the third will be filed this week at Raigad Court,” she added.

Parmar had a case against her at Sion Police station related to extortion from pet parents, to which she added saying, “I was granted anticipatory bail by the High Court in the case, while the National Human Rights Commission have registered a case against the Sion Police on the basis of my complaint that the FIR was false. The case is still under probe.”