Former minister, kin declared absconding
MEERUT The police on Wednesday evening declared former Uttar Pradesh minister and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Yakoob Qureshi, his wife Sanjeeda Begum and two sons Feroz and Imran absconding in connection with a case registered against them for allegedly operating a meat factory illegally in Meerut.
The police pasted a notice on Yakoob’s house in the Sarai Behleem locality under the Kotwali police station limits in Meerut. This action comes nearly a month after a local court on April 8 issued the non-bailable warrant against Yakoob Qureshi, his wife and two sons in connection with the family operating their meat factory in Meerut without licence.
Proceedings under Section 82 of the CrPc (proclamation for person absconding) have been initiated against the former minister and his family members, said inspector of Meerut’s Kithore police station Arvind Mohan Sharma who has been tasked with investigating the case.
“If the accused fail to appear before the police or the court in a month after issuing the notice, the process of confiscation of property would be started,” said Sharma.
On March 30, a team of police and other law enforcement departments conducted a raid on Yakoob’s factory on Hapur Road in Meerut. They recovered over 6000 kg meat, which was being allegedly packaged illegally.
After the raid, police had registered a case against Yakoob his two sons, wife and six others for illegally operating the meat factory.
Police arrested seven people during the raid. But the former minister and his family members were found missing from their house.
An application was moved before the local court to seek an NBW for their arrest.
The police also seized eight bank accounts of Yakoob’s meat factory, his sons and other accounts in April.
The Meerut Development Authority (MDA) had cancelled the licence of the factory in 2019 on charges of violating rules during construction.
If the accused fail to appear before the police or the court in a month after issuing the notice, the process of confiscation of property would be started
ARVIND MOHAN SHARMA, inspector of Meerut’s Kithore police station