Justice K. Lakshman of Telangana High Court had directed Home Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) to ensure illegal killing of animals was stopped and act tough against persons violating animal laws for slaughtering of animals during Bakrid festival.
The judge passed a slew of directions on Monday, after hearing interim applications relating to a writ petition filed by Gau Gyan Foundation seeking enforcement of provisions of different Animal Welfare Laws. Justice K. Lakshman, in his order, recalled that a division bench of the HC had earlier in two separate PIL petitions instructed the State and Central governments to ensure no cattle should be allowed for transportation without a fitness certificate issued by a competent authority.
The cattle included, bulls, bullocks, cows, buffalos, steers, heifers and calves, the HC order issued on March 12, 2019 said. It also directed the Union and State governments to close down all unlicensed and illegally run slaughter houses and cold storages in the State. A veterinary Inspector or a doctor should be posted at each slaughter house to ensure provisions of AP Prohibition of Cow Slaughter and Animal Preservation Act-1977 were complied with, the directions stated.
The Home Secretary, DGP, Commissioners of Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda police along with GHMC were respondents in those petitions. Hence, it was their bounden duty to adhere to the HC division bench direction in those matters, Justice K. Lakshman observed.
The judge, in his direction in the plea by Gau Gyan Foundation, directed the Home Secretary and the DGP to implement directions issued by Animal Welfare Board of India on this June 25. He instructed the authorities to take all precautionary measures to enforce the Animal Welfare Laws.
The judge specifically instructed Inspector of Shadnagar police station of Cyberabad police commisisonerate to immediately issue a First Information Report (FIR) based on a complaint lodged by Gau Gyan Foundation on this June 26. The Foundation charged that the Inspector did not act in accordance with the law to its complaint sent through WhatsApp about “illegal transportation of young bulls in a vehicle”.
The judge cited the Supreme Court verdict in Lalita Kumari vs Government of Uttar Pradesh mandating issuance of FIR when a cognizable offence is made out as per the contents of a complaint. Facts of the present case pertaining to Shadnagar police station revealed that bulls and cows were being transported without any certificates. The police should have registered a case under section 154 of Criminal Procedure Code, the judge said.
He instructed Shadnagar Inspector to register a case and investigate into it.
