The Supreme Court took a firm stance on Friday, questioning Assam’s priorities after the state pursued legal action against an individual transporting packaged raw meat.
A bench comprising Justices AS Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan granted interim relief to the accused, stating that the state should be focusing on more pressing concerns rather than targeting transporters.
“Shouldn’t the state have better things to do than chasing after these people?” the Court observed, staying the criminal proceedings and scheduling the case for a final hearing on April 16.
During the proceedings, the Court pointed out a key issue: a layperson cannot visually distinguish between different types of raw packed meat. “How can someone, just by looking at it, determine whether the meat is beef?” Justice Oka questioned.
The accused, a warehouse owner, argued that he was merely handling transportation and had no role in packaging or processing the meat. The state, however, contended that he was involved in its sale.
The Court clarified that Section 8 of the Assam Cattle Preservation Act—which prohibits the sale of beef without proper authorization—would only apply if the accused had explicit knowledge that the meat in question was beef. “The element of knowledge must be established,” the Bench emphasized.
Drawing a comparison, the Court referred to a previous ruling by the Bombay High Court, which held that mere possession of meat does not constitute an offense unless there is proven awareness of its origin.
The state argued that the transportation was intercepted at a checkpoint and that the driver was unable to explain what type of meat was being carried. A forensic analysis was ordered to determine its nature.
In response, the Court reiterated its skepticism: “That’s exactly our point! A common person cannot tell just by looking at it,” Justice Oka remarked, with Justice Bhuyan adding, “Proof of the pudding is in the eating.”
With that, the Supreme Court stayed the case against the accused, leaving Assam to reconsider its priorities as the matter awaits further deliberation in April.