HC orders UP govt to pay Rs 2L for Illegal vehicle seizure over beef claim

Prayagraj: The Allahabad high court has directed the Uttar Pradesh govt to pay Rs 2 lakh compensation to a man whose vehicle was arbitrarily seized over an unproven beef transport claim, with liberty to the state to recover the amount from officers responsible for the illegal confiscation.The vehicle was confiscated in Oct 2024 on allegations that it was used to transport beef. Baghpat authorities had acted under the Uttar Pradesh Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act.Allowing a writ petition of a Baghpat resident, Mohd Chand, whose vehicle was seized, Justice Sandep Jain quashed the seizure orders, observing due to such illegal and arbitrary action of the state authorities, the petitioner suffered serious economic loss as the vehicle in question was a transport vehicle, a source of livelihood for him.The court observed that a vehicle can be confiscated under the cow protection law only when it is found to have been transporting beef, adding that a report of an authorized laboratory is mandatory for initiating proceedings under the UP Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act.The high court found that the veterinary doctor, who had examined the meat, was not confident whether it was beef and had recommended a confirmatory diagnosis of the samples.Since no report of an authorized laboratory was made available, the court ruled that the state failed to prove that the seized meat was beef. Thus, the vehicle could not have been confiscated, the court added.“The authorities, without examining this issue, confiscated the vehicle of the petitioner, which is arbitrary, illegal andunwarranted under the provisions of the Act of 1955," the court said in a decision passed on April 27.The court ordered the release of the vehicle within three days.