Take cow slaughter cases seriously: Allahabad HC to UP govt

Prayagraj: Expressing dissatisfaction with the police probe into a cow slaughter case, the Allahabad High Court on Saturday directed the state government to look into such matters seriously.

The court also directed the Prayagraj police commissioner Ramit Sharma to submit a progress report mentioning number of cow slaughter cases registered at different police stations in the district and in how many such cases the investigation is going on.

Hearing an anticipatory bail application filed by one Saif Ali Khan of Prayagraj, who is accused of cow slaughter, Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav directed to put up this case as fresh on December 18, 2023 for the next hearing.

On Saturday, as per the directions of the court, police commissioner Sharma appeared before the court and filed an affidavit giving details regarding the steps taken to check the cases of cow slaughter.

The court took the affidavit on record but expressed dissatisfaction over the efforts made by the police authorities.

However, on a request made on behalf of the state counsel, the court granted further time of two weeks for filing a better affidavit.

It also exempted personal appearance of police commissioner for the next date.

On November 17, while hearing the anticipatory bail application by Khan from whose possession police had reportedly recovered 1.5 quintal beef in 2019, the high court had taken a serious note that the investigation in the case has not completed despite the fact that the case was registered in 2019.

The court had also expressed its concern that the cases of cow slaughtering are coming to notice in the state despite promulgation of the UP Cow Slaughter Act, which provides cow slaughtering a serious and cognizable offence.

Besides, the court had also expressed its concern over the laxity of police department in connection with cow slaughter cases in the state.