Navi Mumbai: The Bombay High Court sentenced Vineeta Srinandan, a cultural director of Seawoods Estates Ltd (SEL), popularly known as NRI Seawoods, to one week in jail and imposed Rs 2,000 as fine for criminal contempt of court.

However, the high court has stayed the operation of the order and suspended Srinandan’s sentence for 10 days to enable her to appeal against it.

Leela Verma, a resident of SEL, had approached the court that the posh housing society and its managing committee had restrained her domestic help from entering the society as she was feeding dogs. On January 21, the High Court intervened, ruling that the society must not block Verma’s maid from entering her house.

In defiance of the court’s ruling, Srinandan issued a circular which, according to the court, was ‘brazen’ and ‘derogatory’, including remarks that “lowered the dignity of the court” and interfered with the administration of justice. The circular referred to the court’s intervention as ‘dog mafia’, a term the judges found especially objectionable coming from an educated person.

Coming down sternly, the court dismissed Srinandan’s apology as ‘crocodile tears’ and ‘routine sorry mantra’.

The high court had issued a show cause notice in February asking why contempt action should not be taken against Srinandan.

The High Court condemned Srinandan’s actions as contemptuous, stating that the apology offered was insincere and appeared more as a defensive tactic than a genuine expression of remorse.

The court instructed the SEL managing committee to pass a resolution expressing regret over Srinandan’s actions. The bench comprising Justices Girish S Kulkarni and Advait M Sethna made it clear that contempt of court would not be tolerated.