Police to seek warrants from court to arrest all accused

MEERUT: 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.

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 registered a case against 14 people, including Yaqoob, his sons Imran, Feroz and wife Sanjeeda Begum, with Kharkhauda police station. The 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 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 haven’t received response to the notice, we will now proceed to seek warrants from court for arresting all accused in the case,” he said.