Is this ‘Don’ really as menacing as he is being made out to be?

So, the speed with which the cops have tracked down Don this week is commendable, though it was found that their quarry was reportedly snoring in an air-conditioned room peacefully. 

This Don in question happens to be the pet golden labrador of former Delhi law minister Somnath Bharti. And now it seems that Delhi Police will have to find out a new investigator who can “question” Don to help them make headway in the probe against the former law minister. 

Don seemed to be quite oblivious and unperturbed of his reported evanescence. Though unconfirmed, it is also likely that the furry fugitive was quite unaware that the police want to interrogate him about his role in the alleged attempted murder of his owner’s estranged wife. So, he decided to while away his time eating and snoozing as usual — so very characteristic of a 12-year-old Labrador, weighing around 35 kgs. 

Veterinarian S K Choudhary, who is well known among South Delhi’s pet owners, said the probability of a Labrador attacking was “one to two per cent”.

“The dog can attack if it has been confined for a long time and not kept well or treated in a friendly way,” Choudhary said. “Many Labradors are crossbred with Rottweilers, which are more aggressive. Labradors have a lifespan of 12 to 15 years, so he (Don) is obviously old.”

A neighbourhood restaurateur said Don walks around the apartment block unrestrained. “He walks slowly. He comes down to go to the park where he does his business and goes back. He is a harmless dog that does not cause any trouble.” 

Citing the medical report of his pet, Bharti said: Don, “cannot bite any one as he is a Golden Labrador”, a breed that is usually very easygoing, of a kind temperament and friendly even with strangers. 

In recent days, Bharti has made multiple appearances at the police station handling his case in South West Delhi, pulling up with Don riding in the backseat of his Innova. 

He further went on to say that Don, like him, is innocent and alleged that the audio tapes of the incident that his wife has referred to as a mauling by a vicious dog should be disclosed. 

“The tape is annexed with my application for bail,” he told in a report, “where my wife is saying, ‘you have to throw your dog out.... your dog is not <g data-gr-id="43">well-behaved’.</g>” Bharti said the tapes reveal that his wife exaggerated a scratch by Don as a vicious bite which he claims is proven when she refuses to see a doctor at his urging. 

Meanwhile, on Thursday, in a major relief to Bharti, Delhi High Court reserved its order over his bail plea and extended the interim protection till its further order. Following the order, Bharti has immunity against arrest by Delhi Police.