Raid on BSP leader’s Meerut meat factory: Police to seek warrants from court to arrest accused

Meerut police have registered a case against 14 people, including BSP leader Haji Yaqoob, his two sons and wife , with Kharkhauda police station

With police yet to get any reply from former UP minister and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Haji Yakoob Qureshi to the notice issued to him on April 3 (Sunday) to explain as to how and why he was operating his meat factory without renewal of its licence, they will now seek warrants from the court against all accused involved in the illegal running of the factory, police said. The notice was issued under Section 91 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) that deals with the power of the courts and police authorities regarding search and seizure of document or thing.

Meerut police have registered a case against 14 people, including BSP leader Haji Yaqoob, his two sons and wife , with Kharkhauda police station (For Representation)

A joint team of the police, weights & measures department, pollution board and other departments had conducted a raid at the meat factory of Yakoob on March 31 (Thursday) after complaints that the factory’s licence had expired but processing/packaging of meat was still on there. The joint team had recovered 6000 kg meat and over 1200 kg bones from the factory and arrested 10 workers from the spot who were sent to jail.

Police then registered a case against 14 people, including Yaqoob, his sons Imran, Feroz and wife Sanjeeda Begum, with Kharkhauda police station. The first information report (FIR) said they were acting as a gang to accumulate money by indulging in illegal operation of the factory.

Situated on Hapur road under limits of Kharkhauda police station, the factory, Al Faheem Meatex Pvt Ltd, exports packaged meat to the Middle East and other countries. Meerut senior superintendent of police (SSP) Prabhakar Choudhary said a chance was given to Yakoob and family to produce documents in support of their claims that no illegal operation was carried out in the factory.

“As we have received no response to the notice, we will now proceed to seek warrants from the court for arresting all the accused in the case,” said SSP Choudhary. He also said after filing chargesheet against the accused in the case, the Gangsters Act could also be imposed on them.

Meanwhile, investigation of the case has been transferred to Kithore police station. The factory’s licence renewal was suspended in 2019 following Meerut Development Authority’s claim that rules were flouted in construction of the factory.

Meerut district magistrate K Balaji formed a six-member committee to decide about the disposal of the recovered meat and bones. It was buried inside the factory premises on Monday as per the recommendation of the committee.

Haji Yakoob had contested 2019 Lok Sabha election and lost by a slender margin to his nearest BJP rival Rajendra Agarwal. He was a minister in the BSP government (2007-12) in UP and made headlines after announcing a bounty on the head of a Danish cartoonist who made a caricature of Prophet Mohammad in 2006.