In surprising news, the police in Uttar Pradesh caught four people, including the president of Bajrang Dal in Moradabad, for allegedly killing cows to frame a Muslim man and plot against the police. The accused are Shahabuddin, Monu Bishnoi (Bajrang Dal leader), and volunteers Raman Chaudhary and Rajiv Chaudhary.
Conspiracy unfolds: Two linked Cases
On January 16, a cow’s head was found on the Kanwar Path, a path used by Hindu pilgrims. Another cow slaughter incident occurred on January 28 in Chetrampur village, linked to the first incident. Authorities suspected a planned scheme rather than isolated cases.
Hemraj Meena, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Moradabad, noted the oddities in the incidents, leading to a deeper investigation. “A case was registered against unknown people. After this, on the night of January 28, another incident of cow slaughter took place a few kilometres away in Chetrampur village (in the same police station area of the first incident). Both the incidents seemed suspicious and interconnected. Since the manner in which this information was given to the police, there was a suspicion that this incident was planned and it was not just a case of cow slaughter; there was definitely some hidden agenda in it,” said Hemraj Meena, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Moradabad, on Thursday.
The police uncovered a plan involving a staged incident on January 14. Naeem, an associate of Shahabuddin, was paid Rs 2,000 to get a cow’s head and place it in the Chhajlait police station area. This was meant to manipulate the police. Maksud’s photo was strategically placed at the crime scene to support their false story. It is important to note that Monu Bishnoi, recently released from jail for attempted murder, had planned to pressure the police at Chhajlait station earlier to get their illegal work done.
Personal Grudge, enough reason to frame someone
Maksud, the man framed in the conspiracy, revealed a personal grudge, stating that Shahabuddin and Jamshed, along with Monu Bishnoi, Rajiv Chaudhary, and Raman Chaudhary, wanted to wrongly accuse him of cow slaughter.
“When Maksud was interrogated, he told me that he had enmity with some people in the village, due to which an attempt was made to implicate him. The names Shahabuddin and Jamshed came up. These people took the help of Monu Bishnoi, Rajiv Chaudhary, and Raman Chaudhary to send their opponents to jail,” Meena said.
Police Proceedings
Two accused are evading arrest, but officials believe electronic surveillance and other evidence will help catch them. Moradabad police filed two FIRs under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including criminal conspiracy, false charge of offence made with intent to injure, theft in a dwelling house, house-trespass or house-breaking, dishonestly receiving stolen property, and sections 3, 5, and 8 of the Cow Slaughter Act.
The incident questions the number of unknown plans executed to manipulate the legal system in the name of religion before. The arrests remind us of the need for better law enforcement to prevent communal disharmony and uphold the rule of law.
