7 arrested as beef added to samosa at Vadodara shop

Vadodara: Seven individuals, including the owners of the famed meat samosa business in Vadodara, have been arrested thus far as part of an investigation into the alleged use of beef at the establishment, police said on Monday. It was believed that the business added cheaper beef into its mutton samosas in order to increase sales.

Acting on a tip, the Vadodara City Zone 4 Local Crime Branch conducted a raid on Saturday and confiscated a total of 113 kg of beef and 152 kg of the filler meant to create samosas from the well-known "Hussaini Samosa" suppliers. The unit is in the Chhipwad neighbourhood.

Six persons were detained and questioned on Sunday, including the owners Yusuf Sheikh and Naeem Sheikh, as well as the workers Hanif Bhathiyara, Dilawar Pathan, Moin Habdal, and Mobin Shaikh, Indian Express reported.

Imran Yusuf Qureshi, the meat supplier, was taken into custody by police on Monday. Panna Momaya, the Deputy Commissioner of Police for Zone 4, stated to the media, “The accused used to supply ready-to-fry samosas to the stalls and shops selling meat samosas across the city. They also sold ready-to-eat samosas from their own shop in Chhipwad in the old city area. The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report has now confirmed that the seized meat was beef. The accused used beef to extract maximum profit from the business, selling it to unsuspecting customers. The owners did not have any licence from the civic body to run the shop.”

According to Momaya, the police also took possession of 61 kg of ready-to-fry samosas during the operation. Following the receipt of the FSL complaint, police also confiscated crusher and bowl machines valued at Rs 49,000.

He continued by saying that the seven accused have been charged under Sections 8 and 10 of the Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill 2017, which prescribe penalties for contravention of the anti-cow slaughter law.