Illegal vehicle-seizure claiming cow meat: HC penalise Uttar Pradesh

Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court has penalised the Uttar Pradesh government for the illegal seizure of a vehicle on allegations of cow meat transport, directing that ₹2 lakh be paid as compensation to the owner within seven days.

Justice Sandeep Jain, while delivering the order, found that the action of the authorities was unilateral and unlawful, noting that it had directly disrupted the petitioner’s means of livelihood. The court treated the case as a serious instance of administrative overreach carried out without a proper legal basis.

The court stressed that under the state’s cow slaughter prohibition law, any action requires conclusive proof from a recognised laboratory confirming that the seized meat is of bovine origin. In the present case, a veterinary examination conducted in Baghpat failed to establish the source of the meat and only indicated suspicion. Despite the absence of scientific confirmation, authorities proceeded to seize the vehicle, which the court held to be legally unsustainable.

In a significant direction, the court allowed the government to recover the compensation amount from the officials responsible, including the Meerut Divisional Commissioner, the Baghpat District Magistrate and the concerned SHO of Khekra police station.

The court further ordered the release of the seized Mahindra pickup truck within three days.

The case dates back to October 18, 2024, when Baghpat police seized the vehicle belonging to Mohammed Chand, accusing him of transporting cow meat and even alleging that he opened fire at police personnel. After both the district administration and divisional authorities refused to release the vehicle, Chand approached the High Court seeking relief.

The ruling stands as a strong judicial indictment of actions taken without evidence, reinforcing the need for adherence to due process.