Azamgarh: After realizing that they had wrongly booked an innocent Muslim five days ago on charges of cow slaughtering, Azamgarh police on Friday expunged the case.
40-year-old Mohammad Maqsood, a native of Shahpur Bazaar in Azamgarh is presently lodged at Azamgarh jail. “We have expunged the case after completing the investigation. Maqsood is likely to be released soon,” said Additional Superintendent of Police, Rural (Azamgarh), Narendra Pratap Singh, reported The Indian Express.
According to reports, the police on Sunday got information that a man was carrying a bull for slaughtering. A police team rushed to the spot and arrested Maqsood and also seized the vehicle.
On police interrogation, Maqsood told that he was taking the animal to a cow shelter, but failed to convinced.
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The family members of Maqsood and neighbours said that he is innocent and alleged that he was falsely implicated in the case. They also staged protest against the arrest.
A local resident identified as Sushil Kumar Dubey defended Maqsood. Dubey filed an affidavit and told the police that Maqsood was indeed innocent as he was only bringing the injured bull to his gaushala on his request.
The police realized their mistake and drop the case.
“An inquiry was conducted during which it was found that the bull got injured in an accident and Dubey, who runs a cow shelter in Azamgarh, asked Maqsood to bring the animal to the shelter. Maqsood was later booked under sections of the Uttar Pradesh Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act,” said Tiwari.
“Dubey has also submitted an affidavit to the police stating Maqsood’s innocence. We have also recorded statements of several local residents who has now confirmed the case. We have checked his background and he has no criminal cases against him,” said Tiwari.