Delhi HC seeks lawyer’s stand on Mahua Moitra’s plea over shared custody of pet dog

The Delhi High Court on Thursday (February 19, 2026) sought the stand of lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai on a plea by TMC MP Mahua Moitra challenging a local court order refusing to grant her shared custody of pet Rottweiler named Henry.

Mr. Dehadrai said Ms. Moitra’s case should be dismissed at this stage itself.

In her appeal in the high court, the TMC leader said that in the interim order passed in November 2025, the local court failed to consider that Henry was given to her as her pet and he usually resided with her at her residence.

It said the local court’s order deprived her of the love and affection of a pet she raised for two years.

“The appellant was a co-parent of Henry. Henry primarily resided at the appellant’s residence from where he was admittedly taken by the respondent when he was trespassing,” it further alleged.

The district court’s interim order came on a lawsuit by Ms. Moitra seeking specific performance of an oral agreement between her and former partner Mr. Dehadrai for shared custody of the pet dog.

As an interim relief, she sought Henry’s custody for 10 days every month.

On November 10, the local court held that Ms. Moitra did not have a prima facie case in her favour for shared custody of Henry for 10 days of every month and refused to pass an interim order in her favour.