A law is soon to be implemented amid the rising beef smuggling case in Maharashtra. The Maharashtra government will soon bring a law to curb this beef smuggling cases. Minister of State, Home (Rural) Pankaj Bhoyar said, the repeat offender will be slapped with the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). He also mentioned that he’ll soon withdraw the cases made for taking the lead in exposing the beef transport against the “gau rakshak”.
This decision was made after 57 tonnes of beef were seized from two containers intercepted at Lonavala in March, this year. These were exported by the Asian Food Meat Agro company from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT). An FIR was filed under the Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act, 1976, and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. Home Minister Bhoyar, mentioned a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe in this case as the company involved in this case belongs from Hyderabad. “We will reach to the root of it and even the local police will also be probed to check whether they are involved,” he said, adding that the government will not tolerate smuggling of beef.
BJP’s Shrikant Bharatiya in the legislative council, asked for bringing a special law to stop this beef smuggling in the winter season. The Maharashtra government has already brought a law against “urban naxals”. He mentioned a specific act be brought instead of the existing schemes and laws. Bharatiya also asked for taking actions for the illegal cow slaughter houses present across the state.
After the calling for attention brought by BJP’s Shrikant Bharatiya, Bhoyar replied with the revelation of the data that the state recorded 2,849 cases related to cow slaughter, transportation and sale of beef from 2022 to June 2025. The State of Maharashtra has already banned the slaughter, sale and transport of beef and cows under Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill, 1995. He also mentioned 4,678 people were arrested during the same period, and 1,724 tonnes of beef were seized.
MLC Anil Parab of the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) said, “If the police are seizing 57 tonnes of beef, it throws light on the magnitude of this illegal activity in the state. It needs to be probed whether the police authorities are also involved in the racket.”
