In an unpleasant disclosure, Vadodara's popular samosa restaurant, 'Hussaini Samosa', has come under criticism for being accused of selling samosas filled with beef. Responding to an anonymous request, the Vadodara Police raided the renowned supplier on Saturday, seizing a considerable amount of meat and samosa filling. The owners and their staff have been seized in connection with the incident.
The raid was carried out by the Local Crime Branch of Vadodara City Zone 4, which seized 113 kg of beef and 152 kg of samosa filling from the premises of 'Hussaini Samosa'. The suspects, including owners Yusuf and Naeem Sheikh, as well as other staff, were taken into custody for interrogation.
Investigations indicated an organized operation in which the accused reportedly replaced mutton with cheaper beef to increase earnings. The filling, intended for mutton samosas, was reportedly prepared with beef instead. The accused not only distributed these samosas to numerous vending machines and shops throughout the city, but they also sold them directly from their own shop in the Chhipwad surrounding area.
Panna Momaya, Deputy Commissioner of Police for Zone 4, underscored the gravity of the case, stating that the accused deliberately fooled innocent customers by selling beef-stuffed samosas without a civic license.
We got information that some people were selling samosas from a house using cow meat. We conducted raids and seized 61 kg of prepared samosas, 113 kg of beef, and 152 kg of samosa material. We sent the material to the forensic lab which confirmed it was cow meat.Panna Momaya, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Vadodara, Gujarat, India
Furthermore, it was determined that the accused had increased their property estate using profits from the illegal enterprise. Yusuf Sheikh and his son Moin Sheikh went from operating out of a small single-story shop to owning a five-story building and other properties, including a residence.
The raid also revealed the usage of illegal equipment in the preparation process, including bowl and crusher machines worth Rs 49,000, highlighting the scale of the operation.
The suspects have been accused under Sections 8 and 10 of the Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill 2017, which imposes severe penalties for violating the anti-cow slaughter law. The Gujarat Police stressed the gravity of the crime, stating that cow slaughter is illegal in the state, with punishments ranging from a lifetime in jail to significant penalties.
The disclosure provoked anger among residents, with past and current BJP councilors condemning the act as a serious offense against religious sensibility. They requested strong action against the major suspects in the illegal activity.
The inquiry is still ongoing to determine the extent of the operation and whether the accused engaged in similar activities on a long-term basis. Authorities are also looking into the origins of the beef used in the samosas, with the aim of destroying any illegal meat trading networks. As the case progresses, authorities advise customers to be vigilant and emphasize the necessity of following food safety standards to prevent similar scams in the future.
(Input from various resources)
(Rehash/ Susmita Bhandary/MSM)