Panaji: Bombay high court has quashed the FIR registered under the Goa Animal Preservation Act, 1995, at Mapusa police station in Oct 2024 against Meerasab Bepari and Appalal Bepari for allegedly slaughtering cattle or selling beef at their residence in Mapusa. The court held that no case was made out to register an FIR on the basis of a complaint of Bajrang Dal functionary, Roshabh Raju Mayekar.The petitioners stated that on Oct 29, 2024, at least 40 unidentified persons barged into their residence claiming to be officials from the department of animal husbandry.Mapusa police received a call that meat was illegally being cut at Camarkhazana and when they reached the spot, they found that a mob had gathered and an altercation was on. The mob was agitated and insisted that the house where the alleged illegal activities were taking place be searched. The petitioners added that they were thereafter dragged and beaten by the mob and that the police subsequently managed to pacify and disperse the mob.The police then alleged they found metal choppers, hooks, a knife and plastic bags containing dry beef, all of which were seized. The court held that going by the case of the prosecution, the petitioners have not committed any offences either under the IPC or the Goa Animal Preservation Act, 1995.Advocates Carlos Alvares Ferreira, Nehal Govekar, Harshal Desai and Sujay Kamulkar appeared for the Beparis, while APP Somnath Karpe and Anand Shirodkar appeared for the state.
