New Delhi- The Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO) has approached the Delhi High Court seeking urgent legal reforms to prosecute sexual crimes against animals, following the complete repeal of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

While the Supreme Court, in the landmark Navtej Singh Johar judgment of 2018, rightly read down Section 377 to decriminalise consensual same-sex relationships, its complete removal under the BNS has inadvertently decriminalised sexual violence against animals, leaving them vulnerable and unprotected under existing law.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, in its report on the BNS, had also flagged this concern, recommending that legal provisions be reinstated to cover non-consensual sexual offences against men, transgender persons, and animals.

FIAPO’s Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeks the restoration of legal provisions specifically criminalising sexual offences against animals, which were earlier covered under Section 377. At today’s hearing, FIAPO — represented by Advocates Abir Phukan, Varnika Singh, Khuloos Aziz Chawla, and Mukesh — urged the Court to direct the Union of India to address this critical legislative gap and to issue interim guidelines for prosecuting such offences until appropriate amendments are enacted.

The petition draws from a FIAPO report titled Sexual Crimes Against Animals, which documents nearly 50 cases of sexual abuse of farmed, companion, and wild animals. Alarmingly, in April 2025 alone, three shocking incidents came to light:

1. In Delhi’s Shahdara area, a man was arrested for allegedly raping multiple stray dogs.

2. In Saket, Delhi, a pet dog was found unconscious on the road and later died, with a condom retrieved from its private parts.

3. In Temple Town, Coimbatore, a construction worker was caught in the act of sexually abusing a dog.

The report also provides global comparisons, highlighting that India lags behind countries like the UK, Germany, Nepal, and Bangladesh, all of which have specific provisions criminalising sexual crimes against animals.

Varnika Singh, Head Consultant – Legal at FIAPO, remarked:

“Studies across the globe have shown a strong correlation between animal cruelty and wider societal violence, including domestic abuse and child sexual assault.”

FIAPO urged the Court to uphold the values enshrined in Articles 14, 21, 48A, and 51A(g) of the Constitution, recognising animals as sentient beings who deserve protection from sexual violence.

Bharati Ramachandran, CEO of FIAPO, said:

“Animals cannot speak or defend themselves. They deserve justice and legal protection from acts of sexual violence.”

While acknowledging the importance of the issue, the Court declined to interfere with the legislative process. It treated the petition as a representation, directing the respondents to consider and decide the matter in a time-bound manner.

Advocate Mukesh, appearing for FIAPO, stated:

“Since the Court has treated our plea as a representation and refrained from issuing interim guidelines, FIAPO’s next legal recourse can be to approach the Supreme Court, which is empowered under Article 142 to issue binding directions in cases of legislative vacuum — especially where urgent protection is needed for voiceless and vulnerable beings like animals.”