The Allahabad High Court has imposed a fine of ₹2 lakh on the Uttar Pradesh government in a case involving the alleged illegal seizure of a vehicle over accusations of transporting cow meat. The court ruled that there was no conclusive evidence to establish that the meat recovered from the vehicle was cow meat, and therefore the confiscation was unjustified.

The court directed the state government to pay the compensation within seven days, stating that the amount was intended to cover the petitioner’s economic loss and to compensate for what it described as an “arbitrary action of the State.” The bench also ordered the release of the seized vehicle within three days.

The case was heard by a single-judge bench of Justice Sandeep Jain on a writ petition filed by Mohammad Chand. Chand had challenged the Baghpat District Magistrate’s order from 2024, which directed the seizure of his vehicle under the Uttar Pradesh Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act, 1955, on allegations that he was transporting cow meat.

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According to court records, an FIR was registered by Baghpat Police on October 18, 2024, against Chand and another person, Saddam. Police claimed they recovered meat from the vehicle during a checking drive and arrested the occupants following an alleged brief shootout, adding charges under attempt to murder provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita along with sections of the Cow Slaughter Act and the Arms Act.

The petitioner argued that the veterinary examination report did not conclusively determine the origin of the seized meat, stating that the prosecution had failed to provide definitive proof. The state, through the Additional Government Advocate, submitted that the report only described the meat as “suspected” to be from a cow or its progeny, while acknowledging that no conclusive documentary evidence was available.

Observing that the veterinary examiner himself was uncertain about the meat’s origin and that confirmatory testing was absent, the court held that the seizure and subsequent proceedings were not legally sustainable. The bench termed the state’s action “arbitrary, illegal and unwarranted,” quashed the orders passed by the District Magistrate and Divisional Commissioner, and allowed the government to recover the compensation amount from responsible officials, including the Divisional Commissioner, the Baghpat District Magistrate, and the concerned Station House Officer.

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