A Gujarat court recently cited Hindu scriptures, including the Manusmriti and the Rigveda, while sentencing three men to life imprisonment for cow slaughter.
Justice Brijeshkumari Rameshwarsinh Rajput, presiding over the Third Additional Sessions Court in Gandhinagar's Kalol held that cows could become extinct if people who slaughter them are not punished in accordance with the law.
"આવા આરોપીઓ કે જઓએ અ ે તિક્રુરતા પુર્વક ગાયોના અંશો કાપી કાપીને અલગ કરી નાખેલાં તેવા આરોપીઓને કાયદામાં પ્રસ્થાપિત ;HF કરવામાં ન આવે તો સમય જતાં ધરતી ઉપર ગાૈમાતા લુપ્ત થઇ જશે માટે આરોપીઓને કાયદામાં પ્રસ્થાિપ્ત પ્રમાણેની સજા કરવી જરૂરી જણાઇ આવતી હોય નીચે મુજબનો આખરી હુકમ કરવામાં આવે છે," the Court said in its judgment dated October 26.
(translation) "If accused persons such as these, who have cruelly cut the body parts of cows into pieces and separated them, are not punished in accordance with the law, then, over time, Gau Mata will become extinct from the earth. Therefore, it is considered necessary to sentence the accused in accordance with the law, and the following final order is passed."
Additionally, the Court quoted Sanskrit verses describing cows as the mothers of the world and cow protection as a religious duty.
One of the verses cited in the judgment stated,
"गावो विश्वस्य मातरः, गावः सर्वसुखप्रदाः। गोरक्षा धर्मकार्यं च, न्यायः सत्यस्य रक्षकः॥ गोवधं यत्र जायेत, धर्मस्य हानिरुच्यते। दोषसिद्धौ विधानेन, दण्डः कार्यो यथाविधि॥ न्यायमार्गेण राजेन्द्र, धर्मसंस्थापनं भवेत्। जीवसंरक्षणं पुण्यं, न्यायपालनमुत्तमम्॥"
(translation) “Cows are the mothers of the world, and they bring happiness to all. Protecting cows is a religious duty, and justice is the protector of truth. Wherever cow slaughter takes place, it is said to be a loss to dharma (righteousness). When guilt is established, punishment must be imposed in accordance with the law. O King, dharma is upheld through the path of justice. Protecting living beings is virtuous, and upholding justice is the highest duty.”
The Court also quoted another Sanskrit verse describing the cow as the mother of all gods and the cause of sacrifices.
"त्वं माता सर्वदेवानां त्वं च यज्ञस्य कारणम। त्वं तीर्थं सर्वतीर्थानां नमस्तेऽस्तु सदानघ॥" the verse stated.
(translation) “You are the mother of all the gods, and you are the cause of all sacrifices. You are the holiest of all sacred pilgrimage sites. O, ever-pure and auspicious one, I bow to you always.”
The Court was hearing a case arising from a police raid at a house in Jamla village on August 22, 2024, where the prosecution alleged that the accused had acted together to illegally slaughter cows and were preparing to sell the meat.
Around 277 kilograms of beef, valued at ₹55,400, was allegedly recovered from the spot. Police also seized knives, an axe, a weighing scale, ropes and vehicles, with the total value of the seized property estimated at ₹3,61,540.
The Court recorded,
"અહીં આરોપીઓને જાણ હોવા છતાં નિર્મમ રીતે માતા સમાન ગાયોની હત્યા કરી તેના મોઢા, જઠર, પગ અને ચામડું કાપી નાખી ૨૭૭ કિ.ગ્રા.જટલો ગ ે ાૈમાંસ ગાયોમાંથી કાઢી વેચવાની તજવીજ કરતા રંગે હાથે પકડાયા છે."
(translation) "Despite being aware of the consequences, the accused brutally killed cows, which are like mothers, cut off their mouths, stomachs, legs and skins, and were caught red-handed while extracting around 277 kg of beef from the cows and preparing to sell it."
The Court sentenced three of the accused, Wasim, Mohammed Rafiq and Ashfaq alias Salman, to life imprisonment and fined each of them ₹2 lakh under the Gujarat Animal Preservation Act. It also sentenced them to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and a fine of ₹1 lakh each for offences under other provisions of the Act. The sentences are to run concurrently.
The Court acquitted two other accused, Gulam Moin Mustaq Ahmed Ismail Qureshi and Vitthal alias Bhupat Senma, giving them the benefit of doubt. It also recorded that the first accused, Lalabhai Manilal Senma, had died.
The Court imposed no separate sentences for certain other offences, noting that the punishment for the principal offences had already been imposed.
Additional Public Prosecutor JH Joshi appeared for the State.
Aadvocate RA Sheikh represented the accused.
[Read Judgment]