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Delhi High Court Quashes Pet Dispute FIRs, Orders Neighbours to Serve Pizza and Buttermilk as Community Service

Justice Arun Monga Says Criminal Cases Would Only Rekindle Hostility, Not Promote Harmony

Court Directs Both Parties to Feed Children and Staff at Sanskar Ashram with Pizzas and Amul Chaach

By Our Legal Reporter

New Delhi: September 24, 2025: In a rare and unusual order, the Delhi High Court has directed two feuding neighbours to serve vegetable pizzas and buttermilk (Amul chaach) to children and staff at a government-run childcare institution as part of a community service condition. The directive came while quashing cross First Information Reports (FIRs) filed by the neighbours against each other after a heated quarrel over the handling of their pets.

Justice Arun Monga, who passed the order on September 19, 2025, observed that the dispute was a private matter and continuing criminal proceedings would serve no useful purpose. Instead, the court said that quashing the FIRs would help promote cordiality and bonhomie between the neighbours.

The Case: A Pet Dispute Turns Ugly

The incident dates back to May 5, 2025, when two neighbours in Delhi’s Mansarovar Park area clashed over the handling of their pets. What began as a verbal altercation soon escalated into a physical scuffle, leading to allegations of:

Criminal intimidation
Grievous hurt
Wrongful restraint

Both sides filed FIRs against each other at the local police station. The matter reached the Delhi High Court after both parties sought to quash the cases, claiming they had reached an amicable settlement.

Court’s Observations

Justice Monga noted that:

The fight was personal in nature and did not involve larger public interest.
Continuing the criminal proceedings would only rekindle hostility between the neighbours.
Quashing the FIRs would instead promote peace and goodwill.

The judge also pointed out that one of the complainants was in the business of baking and selling pizzas, which inspired the court to craft a unique form of community service.

The Unusual Order

The High Court quashed the FIRs on the condition that both parties perform community service. The order stated:

Both neighbours must jointly bear the expenses of serving food.
Each child, attendant, and staff member at Sanskar Ashram, a government-run childcare institution near GTB Hospital, Dilshad Garden, must be served one pizza and one Amul chaach tetra pack.
The pizzas must be baked by the complainant who runs a pizza business.
The service will be treated as a joint act of goodwill by both complainants and accused.
The investigating officer has been tasked with ensuring compliance and verifying the quality of the food.

The court even directed that a soft copy of the menu be shared with the police official to ensure that the pizzas served matched the promised quality.

Why the Court Took This Approach

The Delhi High Court’s decision reflects a growing judicial trend of using creative remedies to resolve minor disputes. Instead of burdening the criminal justice system with cases that stem from personal quarrels, courts are increasingly encouraging restorative justice and community service.

Justice Monga’s order highlights three key principles:

Avoiding misuse of criminal law: Not every personal dispute should be dragged into prolonged criminal litigation.
Promoting reconciliation: By quashing the FIRs, the court ensured that the neighbours could move forward without lingering hostility.
Encouraging social responsibility: The order turned a private quarrel into an opportunity for community benefit.

Community Service as a Legal Remedy

This is not the first time Indian courts have imposed unusual conditions while quashing FIRs or granting bail. In the past, courts have directed parties to:

Plant trees.
Donate books to libraries.
Distribute blankets to the homeless.
Provide food to orphanages.

Such orders are seen as a way to balance justice with social good, ensuring that while disputes are resolved, society also benefits.

Reactions to the Order

The order has sparked widespread discussion:

Legal experts have praised the judgment as a progressive step, noting that it reduces unnecessary litigation while promoting community welfare.
Residents of the area expressed relief that the long-standing quarrel between the neighbours had been resolved peacefully.
Social media users reacted with humor and appreciation, calling it a “pizza-powered peace deal.”

The Larger Message

The Delhi High Court’s ruling sends a strong message about the role of courts in promoting harmony. By turning a bitter neighbourhood quarrel into an act of kindness, the court has shown that justice can be both practical and compassionate.

The judgment also underscores the importance of amicable settlements in cases where disputes are personal and do not involve serious crimes. Instead of punishing the parties, the court chose to redirect their energy towards community service.

Conclusion

The Delhi High Court’s unusual order in the pet dispute case is a reminder that justice is not always about punishment—it can also be about healing and reconciliation. By asking the neighbours to serve pizzas and buttermilk to children at a childcare home, the court not only resolved a private quarrel but also created a moment of joy for dozens of children.

This case will likely be remembered as one of the more creative judgments in recent times, showing how the judiciary can blend law with humanity.

Delhi HC Quashes Pet FIRs, Neighbours to Serve Pizza