State should have better things to do: Supreme Court tells Assam on beef transport case

The Supreme Court on Friday criticised the Assam government for pressing criminal charges against a man accused of transporting beef, Bar and Bench reported.

“State should have better things to do than running after these people,” the court said while staying criminal proceedings against the person accused in the case.

The court was hearing a plea filed by a man challenging an October order by the Guahati High Court that refused to quash the case against him, PTI reported.

It was alleged that a refrigerated van going to the man’s business premises was transporting beef “in the name of buffalo meat” on November 29, 2023.

However, the man said that he was merely transporting raw and packaged meat. His company, Eden Cold Storage Private Limited, sells frozen food.

Forensic analysis found that the processed meat contained cow antigen, a chemical found in beef and buffalo meat, PTI reported.

The Assam Cattle Preservation Act, which was passed in August 2021, prohibits the sale and purchase of beef and beef products in areas “predominantly inhabited by Hindu, Jain, Sikh and other non-beef eating communities” or within five km of a temple or a sattra, a Vaishnavite monastery. It also places restrictions on cattle transportation.

On Friday, the Supreme Court pointed out that Section 8 of the Act requires the person involved in the sale or...

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