The Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to pay ₹2 lakh in compensation to a man whose vehicle was seized in 2024 on suspicion of transporting beef. Justice Sandeep Jain, presiding over the Lucknow bench, quashed the confiscation orders, characterizing the state’s actions as “arbitrary, illegal and unwarranted.” The court observed that the authorities failed to provide conclusive forensic evidence to support the claim that the meat being transported was indeed beef.
The matter originated on October 18, 2024, when authorities in Baghpat confiscated a vehicle belonging to the petitioner, Mohammad Chand. The seizure was conducted under the Uttar Pradesh Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act, 1955, following allegations that the vehicle was being used to transport the meat of five cows.
Mohammad Chand challenged the confiscation order passed by the District Magistrate of Baghpat. His initial appeal was dismissed by the Commissioner of the Meerut Division, leading him to approach the High Court through a writ petition.
A central issue in the case was the nature of the evidence used to justify the seizure. During the proceedings, it emerged that the veterinary doctor who initially examined the meat could not confirm it was beef. Instead, the doctor classified the meat as “suspected” to be of cow or its progeny and explicitly recommended a confirmatory laboratory test.
The court noted that the state failed to produce any report from an authorized laboratory to substantiate the allegations.
“The burden of proof lay on the state to establish that the seized meat was beef,” the court remarked. “The authorities, without examining this issue, have proceeded to confiscate the vehicle of the petitioner which is arbitrary, illegal and unwarranted under the provisions of the Act of 1955.”
The court highlighted the severe financial hardship imposed on the petitioner due to the “prolonged seizure” of his vehicle, which served as his primary source of livelihood.
“The petitioner has been deprived of earning through this vehicle since October 18, 2024, when it was illegally seized by the state authorities. A period of more than 18 months has elapsed since then,” Justice Jain noted in the order dated April 27.
The bench emphasized that the “illegal and arbitrary” actions of the officials resulted in a direct violation of the petitioner’s economic rights.
The High Court ordered the immediate release of the vehicle within three days. To redress the financial loss suffered by the petitioner, the court directed the Uttar Pradesh government to pay ₹2 lakh in damages.
Furthermore, the court granted the state the liberty to recover the compensation amount from the specific officials responsible for the wrongful seizure and confiscation.
