http://www.mumbaimirror.com/net/mmpaper.aspx?page=article§id=2&contentid=200801102008011002345670352a03023
An animal activist has been arrested by the Sion police for extorting money from butchers and animal transporters for allowing them to flout animal welfare laws.
Bhavin Gathani, founder of the NGO called Karuna Parivar for “animals in pain”, claims to be former Union Minister and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi’s personal secretary.
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| Bhavin Gathani (seen here with Maneka Gandhi), allegedly took money from transporters and butchers to allow them to flout animal welfare laws |
The complainants — butchers and animal transporters — say in their police complaint that Gandhi has written several letters in Gathani’s favour to the city police, seeking their co-operation to help stop cruelty to animals.
But Gathani misused these to extort money. According to police, six to seven licences are required to transport animals across the state. Most transporters do not obtain all the required licences.
As an animal welfare officer, Gathani has the authority to stop these trucks and report the offenders to the police — which he allegedly does not do, in exchange for a fee.
He allegedly asks for Rs 12,000 to 15,000 from each butcher and transporter in exchange for allowing them to flout the animal protection laws. If their goods are confiscated by the police, transporters end up paying double the extortion amount, so they prefer to pay activists instead, they say.
Couple of days ago, Gathani allegedly asked four butchers, including one Ghulam Hussain, for Rs 25000 each per month to stop interfering with their work.
Gathani allegedly asked them to hand over the money to his associates on Wednesday at Five Gardens. Hussain agreed to pay, but instead recorded the conversation and took it to the Sion police.
They say they had been approached by other butchers in the past, complaining about Gathani.
Police say they have often been misguided by animal activists, who intercepts trucks carrying animals, even if they are following regulations.
Police arrested Gathani from his home in Goregaon.
Senior police inspector of Sion station, A W Surve says, “We have arrested him on charges of demanding money to carry animals in trucks. Normally RTO permission and other licenses are required, which the butchers don’t carry. Gathani, through his network, kept tabs on the animals pouring into the city and use to blackmail transporters and butchers for entering the city without any police action.”
Gathani is currently in police custody and will be taken to the Kurla court on Thursday. The conversation tape has been sent to the Kalina forensic lab for authentication.
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Shame Shame Shame
Bhavin Gathani, founder of the NGO called Karuna Parivar for ?animals in pain? is found collecting money from illegal transporters misusing his Animal Welfare Card, his organisation using recommondations of Ex-Minister Smt. Maneka Gandhi.
It seems a nationwide network is functioning extracting money from illegal transporters under shelter umbrella of very high powerful animal activists.
Last year also AWBI was directed by Ministry to withdraw all Animal Welfare Officer Cards on complaints of same nature. Still these brokers like Thadani have not stopped their business.
To break the nationwide network Central agency shall be transferred the case to investigate the matter to save transporters & stop illegal transportation - Contributed by Dr. SK MITTAL , awbikk@gmal.com on Friday, January 11, 2008 12:41 PM | | |
| Shame......shame, animal rights & their welfare became business in India now. - Contributed by Naresh Kadyan , chairmanpfaharyana@gmail.com on Friday, January 11, 200810:45 AM | | |
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