NEW DELHI, Oct 29: A sessions’ court in Gandhinagar, the capital city of Gujarat, has sentenced three persons to life imprisonment in a cow slaughter case after they were found in possession of 277 kg of beef.
Citing Hindu scriptures to underscore the religious significance of the cow, Additional Sessions Judge B.R. Rajput also imposed a fine of ₹3 lakh on the convicts, Vasim Qureshi, Mohammad Rafiq Qureshi, and Asfaq Bahelim.
Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi hailed the verdict, calling it a clear message that the law would not spare those who commit cow slaughter in the State.
Quoting the Manusmriti, the court observed that the cow was not merely an animal but was regarded as a pillar of material prosperity and ‘dharma’ (righteousness). “Sage Manu entrusted the primary responsibility for the protection and care of cattle to the ‘Vaishya’ class. Furthermore, in the context of ‘Arsha Vivaha’ (a traditional form of Vedic marriage), the pair – a cow and a bull -holds special significance,” the judge said.
Further quoting the Vedas and other Hindu scriptures, the court said when drops of ‘amrita’ (nectar) fell to the earth through the power of penance, the divine cow Kamadhenu emerged and came to be regarded as the progenitor of all bovine species on earth. “The cow is regarded as the ‘mother of the world’, serving as an abode for 33 crore deities. Her four legs are symbolic of the four Vedas,” the court said.
According to the prosecution, six persons were arrested with 277 kg of beef and weapons allegedly used to slaughter cows and a vehicle meant to transport the meat were recovered after a raid on a house in Jamla village of Gandhinagar district on August 22, 2024.
The prosecution said a father-son duo would purchase weak or non-lactating buffaloes. They would then bring four individuals from Ahmedabad to their home and have the animals slaughtered in a cruel manner for beef, all for the sake of financial gain.
Citing the investigation, the prosecution said the accused intended to sell the beef to one Ghulam Moin. After the trial, the court found three of the six men guilty. The prosecution produced 54 witnesses and 18 pieces of documentary evidence to establish the charges.
Through a 2017 amendment to the Gujarat Animal Preservation Act, 1954, the Gujarat government had enhanced punishment for those found guilty of cow slaughter to life imprisonment, making it the first State in the country to make cow slaughter punishable with such a sentence.
The Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill approved by the legislative assembly has a provision for 10 years’ imprisonment for transportation, storage or sale of beef. In 2011, when Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, the State government had imposed a complete ban on slaughter of cows, transportation and selling of cow meat by amending the said Act.
(Manas Dasgupta)