Carcass meat samples found 'unfit for examination'
Kolkata, June 27: The samples collected during the 'carcass meat racket' that came to light around two months back were found 'unfit for examination', a lawyer said here on Wednesday.
"Samples taken from an intercepted vehicle were sent to the forensic department. In the laboratory reports, the experts revealed that the samples had decomposed to such an extent that they were unfit for examination and we are sending them back," said the lawyer.
He said that the reports of the samples collected from the cold storage were awaited.
The issue first came to light in late April after the police arrested two persons for allegedly collecting carcass meat from a dump yard in South 24 Parganas district's Budge Budge.
Interrogation revealed that the two accused were part of a rotten meat selling racket and involved in supplying carcass meat from the dump yard to different city restaurants at a cheap rate.
The West Bengal Police also busted a racket selling carcass meat and seized nearly 20 tonne of meat from a cold storage in Kolkata and arrested six men in April.
Recently, some civic bodies raided different restaurants and collected samples.
According to Sabyasachi Dutta, Mayor of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, food samples collected from some big restaurants in Bidhannagar area were found to be unhealthy.
The owners have been warned that if they fail to improve their standards, their license would be cancelled.
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Parliament passes Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025
New Delhi (PTI): Parliament early Friday passed the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, after it was approved by the Rajya Sabha.
The Lok Sabha had on Thursday approved the Bill after over a 12-hour debate.
In Rajya Sabha, the Bill got 128 votes in its favour and 95 against after all the amendments moved by the opposition were rejected.
In the lower house, the bill was supported by 288 MPs while 232 voted against it.
Participating in a debate in the Rajya Sabha, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Bill was brought with a number of amendments based on suggestions given by various stakeholders.
"The Waqf Board is a statutory body. All government bodies should be secular," the minister said, explaining the inclusion of non-Muslims on the board.
He, however, said the number of non-Muslims has been restricted to only four out of 22.
Rijiju also alleged that the Congress and other opposition parties, and not the BJP, were trying to scare Muslims with the Waqf Bill.
"You (opposition) are pushing Muslims out of the mainstream," he added.
He said for 60 years, the Congress and others ruled the country, but did not do much for Muslims and the community continues to live in poverty.
"Muslims are poor, who is responsible? You (Congress) are. Modi is now leading the government to uplift them," the minister said.
According to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Waqf tribunals will be strengthened, a structured selection process will be maintained, and a tenure will be fixed to ensure efficient dispute resolution.
As per the Bill, while Waqf institutions' mandatory contribution to Waqf boards is reduced from 7 per cent to 5 per cent, Waqf institutions earning over Rs 1 lakh will undergo audits by state-sponsored auditors.
A centralised portal will automate Waqf property management, improving efficiency and transparency.
The Bill proposes that practising Muslims (for at least five years) can dedicate their property to the Waqf, restoring pre-2013 rules.
It stipulates that women must receive their inheritance before the Waqf declaration, with special provisions for widows, divorced women and orphans.
The Bill proposes that an officer above the rank of collector investigate government properties claimed as Waqf.
It also proposes that non-Muslim members be included in the central and state Waqf boards for inclusivity.
