Prayagraj:
The Allahabad High Court on Monday expressed concern over the repeated misuse of the Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act and the implication of innocent persons in such cases, pointing out “accused persons continue in jail for an offence that may not have been committed at all”.
The court also pointed out that in a number of cases the meat recovered by the authorities was presented as cow meat (beef) without it being analysed by experts to establish its origin.
“Whenever any meat is recovered, it is normally shown as cow meat (beef) without getting it examined or analysed by the Forensic Laboratory. In most of the cases, meat is not sent for analysis. Accused persons continue in jail for an offence that may not have been committed at all,” the court said while hearing the bail application of Rahmu, alias Rahmuddin.
The court also raised questions about how cows are treated by their owners, pointing out many are often left to fend for themselves by their owners when not being milked and guashalas (cow shelters) “do not accept non-milching cows or old cows and they are left to wander the roads”.
And the stray cows that are recovered (by the state) do not have proper documentation and “one does not know where the cows go after…”, the court continued.
“Owners of cows after milking, leave the cows to roam on roads, to drink drainage/sewer water and eat garbage, polythene, etc. Cows on the road are menace to traffic… cannot be transported… for fear of locals and police. Some way has to be found to keep them in shelters or with owners,” the court said.
The court made these remarks after being told the accused had been in jail for over a month but had no specific allegations against his name in the FIR filed by the local police.
According to the bail plea filed today, the accused was not arrested from the crime scene. Rahmuddin, who has been accused of killing a cow, has been in jail since August 5.
Rahmuddin has been granted conditional bail.
