Who Is Jai Anant Dehadrai? Mahua Moitra’s ‘Jilted Ex’ Locked In A Fierce Custody Battle Over Pet Rottweiler Henry- What Led To Their Bitter Breakup?
A deeply personal dispute between Mahua Moitra and Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai has once again reached the courts this time over the custody of a pet Rottweiler named Henry.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP has moved the Delhi High Court seeking custody of the dog, escalating a long-running and bitter fallout between the former partners. The case has been listed for hearing on April 29.
Mahua Moitra vs Jai Anant Dehadrai: Delhi High Court Issues Notice in Henry Custody Dispute
Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri issued notice to Dehadrai and sought his response to Moitra’s petition challenging a November 10, 2025 order of the Saket court. The trial court had refused her request for 10-day monthly custody of Henry.
Appearing in person, Dehadrai urged the High Court to dismiss the petition at the outset, arguing that it should be rejected in limine.
Moitra, in her plea, contended that the Saket court’s order was “bad in law and fact,” maintaining that Henry primarily resided with her except when she travelled outside Delhi for official engagements in her constituency. During those periods, the dog stayed with Dehadrai.
The custody battle remains pending before the Saket court even as appeals and counter-appeals continue in the High Court.
Mahua Moitra vs Jai Anant Dehadrai: How the Dispute First Reached Court
Interestingly, this is not the first time the High Court has intervened in the Henry matter. In September last year, Justice Manoj Jain issued notice to Moitra on an appeal filed by Dehadrai and directed him not to publicise the dispute.
Senior advocate Sanjoy Ghosh appeared for Dehadrai in earlier proceedings.
Court filings state that Henry was purchased by Dehadrai in 2021, a claim central to the ongoing legal tug-of-war.
Who Is Jai Anant Dehadrai?
Jai Anant Dehadrai is a white-collar criminal law practitioner with over 12 years of experience. A graduate of ILS Law College, Pune (2011), he previously worked at Karanjawala & Co., pursued a joint Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and Wharton, and later worked at Kline & Specter in the United States.
He also served as a judicial clerk in the chamber of former Chief Justice of India S.A. Bobde before returning to private practice.
Dehadrai has represented domestic and international clients including business houses, banks, PSUs, and government departments before the Supreme Court, Delhi High Court, and various tribunals.
Mahua Moitra vs Jai Anant Dehadrai: From Personal Fallout to Criminal Complaints
The Henry custody dispute is only one dimension of what has become a highly acrimonious breakup.
According to legal notices cited in media reports, Moitra and Dehadrai were once close partners before a falling out turned hostile. Moitra has filed multiple police complaints in the past six months alleging criminal trespass, theft, abusive messages, and harassment.
Legal notices sent on her behalf allege that Dehadrai trespassed into her official residence and took personal possessions, including the dog, though Henry was later returned. The notice further claimed that after journalists refused to publish certain allegations due to lack of evidence, Dehadrai approached BJP leaders.
Mahua Moitra vs Jai Anant Dehadrai: The ‘Cash-for-Query’ Allegations and Political Fallout
The fallout between the two spilled into national politics when Dehadrai accused Moitra of accepting bribes from businessman Darshan Hiranandani to raise questions in Parliament.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey subsequently filed a complaint before the Lok Sabha Speaker based on these allegations.
Following a recommendation by the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee, Moitra was expelled from Parliament on December 8, 2023. She denied all allegations, calling them politically motivated and asserting that there was no quid pro quo.
It was alleged that 50 of the 61 parliamentary questions she raised were posted at the behest of Hiranandani after she allegedly shared login credentials. Moitra has consistently rejected these claims and filed defamation suits against both Dehadrai and Dubey.
Her plea for interim relief was rejected by the Delhi High Court in March 2024, with the court observing that the allegations were not “totally false.” The case remains pending.
Mahua Moitra vs Jai Anant Dehadrai: What Led to the Bitter Breakup?
While the precise personal reasons behind the separation have not been publicly detailed, the relationship deteriorated into a public and legal war marked by harassment allegations, defamation suits, political accusations, and now a courtroom fight over their pet.
What began as a private fallout between two former partners has transformed into one of the most high-profile personal-political battles in recent memory with Henry, the Rottweiler, at its emotional centre.
As the Delhi High Court prepares to hear the matter on April 29, the custody dispute continues to unfold alongside unresolved legal and political battles between Moitra and Dehadrai.
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Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
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