A court in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar district has sentenced three individuals to life imprisonment in connection with a cow slaughter case. The verdict, delivered by Additional Sessions Judge B.R. Rajput on Monday, October 26, also included a fine of ₹3 lakh for each of the three convicts: Vasim Qureshi, Mohammad Rafiq Qureshi, and Asfaq Bahelim.
The legal proceedings stemmed from a police raid conducted on August 22, 2024, in Jamla village, located in the Gandhinagar district. During the operation, authorities discovered 277 kg of beef along with weapons purportedly used in the slaughter and a vehicle intended for the transport of the meat. Following an extensive trial that involved 54 witnesses and 18 pieces of documentary evidence, the court found the three men guilty of the charges.
In his ruling, Judge Rajput referenced several Hindu scriptures, including the Manusmriti and the Vedas, to highlight the religious and cultural significance of the cow. The court described the cow not merely as an animal but as a symbol of 'dharma' and material prosperity. The judgment noted that, according to ancient texts, the cow is revered as the “mother of the world” and is considered a foundational element in various Vedic traditions and customs.
The prosecution's case detailed that the accused had allegedly targeted weak or non-lactating buffaloes for slaughter. According to the investigation, the operation involved recruiting individuals from Ahmedabad to assist in the process for financial gain, with the beef intended for sale to a specific buyer. While six people were initially arrested, the court’s guilty verdict applied to three of the suspects.
Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi praised the court’s decision and the efforts of the Gandhinagar police. He stated that the sentence serves as a firm message that the law will hold those who engage in cow slaughter accountable. He reiterated that protecting the cow remains an "unwavering resolve" for the state government, commending the investigative team for their precise work in securing the conviction.
This case is a notable application of the Gujarat Animal Preservation Act, 1954, as amended in 2017. That legislative change made Gujarat the first state in India to increase the maximum penalty for cow slaughter to life imprisonment. The 2017 amendment was part of a broader shift in state policy; under the same Act, the transportation, storage, or sale of beef can attract a prison term of up to ten years.
The state’s current regulatory framework for the protection of cattle has a long history, dating back to 2011, when the government—then led by Chief Minister Narendra Modi—implemented a complete ban on the slaughter, transportation, and sale of cow meat. The recent life sentence reflects the state's continued commitment to enforcing these stringent anti-slaughter provisions. Legal experts and officials view the verdict as a landmark enforcement of these specific animal preservation statutes in the region.
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