The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday granted bail to five persons jailed on the charge of carrying chicken meat in violation of lockdown norms.
Asjad Gazi, Irshad Raza, Nihaluddin, Mohd. Aqeel and Mohd. Shahid had been in jail since April 13 after they were found carrying 3 quintals (300 kg) of chicken meat in a truck in Lucknow. They were booked under the Indian Penal Code, the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, and the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
In his submission before Justice Rajeev Singh, defence counsel argued that the Joint Secretary, Union Ministry of Fisheries and Animal Husbandry, asked the States on March 30 to include live chicks, eggs and meat in the list of commodities exempted. The Director of Animal Husbandry had said on April 3 that these were essential items.
The government’s advocate said the accused persons were carrying the meat with a forged pass. But he conceded that both governments had clarified that chicken meat was an exempted commodity.
