Warrant to J

New Delhi, Jan 25 (UNI) The Delhi High Court today issued warrant against the Chief Wildlife Warden of Jammu and Kashmir for not appearing before the court in a case relating to alleged torture of 2000 animals during the shooting of the film 'Taj Mahal' at Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir in 2004.

A division bench of Justices Swatanter Kumar and H R Malhotra directed the Chief Wildlife Warden to be present in the court on February 22 to clarify the allegations in the public interest litigation(PIL) for permitting Producer Akbar Khan to shoot the film without granting the mandatory permission.

The copy of the order would also be served to the Chief Secretary of Jammu&Kashmir to ensure his presence in the court on the next date of hearing.

Counsel Raj Panjwani appearing for People for Ethical Treatment of Animals(PETA) submitted that the Chief Wildlife Warden was deliberately avoiding to appear before the court after receiving the notice in December 2005.

Mr Panjwani said sanction was not granted to the producer to use 200 camels, horses and elephants in the sub-zero temperature at Leh and Ladakh during the shooting of the film in the summers of 2004.

The animals, which did not belong to the cold climate, had faced lots of sufferings, Mr Paunjwani submitted.

On December 14, 2005, the High Court had issuded notices to filmmaker Akbar Khan, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Censor Board, Animal Welfare Board and Chief Wildlife Warden of Jammu and Kashmir to file their replies by March 31.

UNI