Maharashtra to bring law to stop beef smuggling: Minister

“There is need to bring a special law in the winter session to stop beef smuggling. The Maharashtra government has brought a law to tackle the specific issue of ‘urban Naxals’. I want to request, instead of existing schemes and laws, can an independent act be brought to tackle the issue of beef smuggling,” asked Bharatiya, adding whether the Maharashtra Control of Organsied Crime Act (MCOCA) can be invoked against beef smugglers. He also sought action against illegal cow slaughter houses in the state.

“It is a serious issue. We will invoke MCOCA if the repeat offenders are found. We are also soon bringing an act against the beef smuggling,” said Bhoyar. He said that the government will set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident at Lonavala.

“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.

Bharatiya said that activists who work to prevent such cases (of beef smuggling) face problems and even cases at some times. “Such gau rakshaks should not face injustice. There should be inquiry as to why cases are slapped against them,” he said.

Bhoyar said, “If cases have been filed against the gau rakshaks who do social work of this sort, those will be studied, and action will be initiated to withdraw those cases.”

Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Anil Parab 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.”

The minister informed that the state has banned cow slaughter, sale and transport of beef under Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill, 1995. From June 2022 to 2025, the state has registered 2,849 cases and arrested 4,678 accused. “The total beef seized is around 1724 tonnes,” said the minister.