Supreme Court advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai on Sunday (Nov 30) announced what he described as a significant legal victory in his prolonged and high-profile dispute with Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra over the custody of their pet Rottweiler, Henry. In a fresh order that has reignited the controversy, the Saket District Court dismissed an application Moitra had filed, prompting Dehadrai to publicly declare that “Henry is safe, for now”.
The dog, a Rottweiler purchased by Dehadrai when it was just 40 days old, has been at the heart of one of the most unusual and intensely scrutinised personal-legal battles in recent political memory. Their private disagreement first spilled into the public domain in 2023, coinciding with political turbulence surrounding Moitra’s alleged “cash-for-query” scandal, investigations by central agencies, and her expulsion from the Lok Sabha that same year.
Dehadrai and Moitra were reportedly in a relationship for several years before parting ways, following which disagreements over Henry escalated. Moitra has consistently claimed that the dog belongs to her and has sought joint custody, while Dehadrai has insisted that he raised Henry from infancy and is its sole legal guardian.
The conflict intensified after Dehadrai began posting updates and personal allegations linked to the dog and their past relationship on social media. In March 2025, a trial court issued what it termed a protective “gag order” directing that no publicity or online commentary be made about the case.
However, Dehadrai challenged the order, calling it “overly broad” and a violation of his right to free speech—especially when, as he argued, the opposing party was a public figure. This appeal is still being heard by the Delhi High Court.
Moments after the Saket District Court rejected Moitra’s latest application in the custody dispute, Dehadrai took to X (formerly Twitter) to share the update. His tone was celebratory and sharply critical.
“Henry is safe – for now. Grateful to the District Court Saket for dismissing a ridiculous application filed by a deranged individual claiming ownership and custody rights over my dog – the Learned Judge has rightly held ‘no prima facie case in the favour of the plaintiff.’”
He also added a pointed remark referring to Moitra’s political career and her recent personal life choices, writing: “Now if only some people would get the damn message, and focus their energies on their tanking political career and their recently acquired geriatric spouse – all would be well in the world.”
His post, laced with sarcasm and criticism, marks yet another instance of the personal acrimony between the two playing out on social media.
According to Dehadrai, the court found no prima facie evidence supporting Moitra’s claim of ownership or custodial rights over Henry. While detailed court documents have not yet been made public, he emphasised that the judge found no urgent grounds to intervene in his custody of the dog.
Moitra, at the time of publishing, had not issued a public statement responding to the order or to Dehadrai’s remarks.
The dog custody case dates back to early 2023, when Dehadrai first raised concerns about Henry’s ownership following his separation from Moitra. The dispute overlapped with significant political developments:
Moitra’s alleged involvement in the “cash-for-query” case
Her expulsion from the Lok Sabha in December 2023
Investigations by the CBI and the Lokpal
Public allegations made by Dehadrai, which later fed into Parliament’s Ethics Committee proceedings
As political temperatures rose, the personal dispute also grew increasingly public, with both occasionally exchanging sharp remarks indirectly.
The case took another legal turn in September 2025, when Dehadrai approached the Delhi High Court challenging the March 2025 gag order issued by the trial court. The Delhi High Court, while hearing the matter, advised both parties to consider resolving the issue amicably.
Justice Manoj Jain reportedly asked Moitra’s counsel: “Why don’t you sit together and sort it out? What relief is she seeking in the suit?”
However, no resolution has been achieved so far.
Senior advocate Sanjay Ghose, appearing for Dehadrai before the Delhi High Court, argued that the gag order severely restricted his client’s freedom of expression. He also questioned whether an elected representative could claim a “higher right to privacy” in such a matter, particularly when invoking joint custody.
Dehadrai also alleged that the trial court had orally pressured him to withdraw his previous application—an allegation that further complicated the proceedings and pushed him towards seeking High Court intervention.
The next hearing in the High Court on this matter is scheduled for December 22, with the court having issued a fresh notice to Moitra after she failed to appear in an earlier hearing.
For now, as Dehadrai put it, “Henry is safe.” But the battle over the Rottweiler remains very much alive, set to return to the courtroom later this month.
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