The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the high-profile recovery of banned meat from the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) abattoir was granted three-day police remand of the primary suspects on Thursday. The slaughterhouse operator, Aslam Qureshi (alias Aslam Chamda), and container driver Shoaib will now undergo intensive interrogation to dismantle the illegal supply network. Following a mandatory medical examination, the duo was moved to an undisclosed location. SIT officials indicated that Qureshi’s testimony is vital to uncovering the logistics of the operation and identifying other stakeholders in the trade. The Jinsi-based BMC slaughterhouse was sealed on January 8 after an Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report confirmed the presence of banned meat in packets seized from a container. The vehicle had been intercepted by activists near the Police Headquarters (PHQ) area on December 17.

 

The SIT has identified several critical areas for the three-day remand period. Investigators are baffled as to how banned meat was packaged in the facility if CCTV footage did not record cow slaughter on-site. Police are probing if the meat was slaughtered at a different, clandestine location and brought to the BMC facility solely for professional packaging. Qureshi will be questioned regarding the operations of his firm, Livestock Private Limited. The SIT is seeking a detailed roster of the workforce, their specific duties, and the deployment of personnel across various units. Officials stated that responsibility will be fixed based on a combination of technical data, documentary evidence, and physical clues gathered from the facility. Sources close to the investigation revealed that a significant hurdle for the SIT is the disappearance of the labour force.

 

Most workers employed by Livestock Private Limited for buffalo slaughter and packaging were migrants from other cities and states. Since the facility was sealed, the majority have returned to their native places, making it difficult for investigators to record their statements. The investigation has now expanded to include the local government. The SIT has begun summoning BMC (Nagar Nigam) officials who were responsible for the management and oversight of the slaughterhouse. These officials will be grilled on their professional ties with Qureshi and whether administrative negligence or active collusion allowed the illegal meat to be processed and dispatched under the guise of legal operations.