In a landmark judgment, the Amreli Sessions Court has sentenced three men to life imprisonment and imposed fines of Rs. 6.08 lakh each for cow slaughter. This is the harshest punishment ever for such an offense in Gujarat.
The verdict has been hailed by the state government as a landmark step in upholding cow protection laws. Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi described the ruling as “a strong message that no one who harms the mother cow will be spared.”
He also posted on X (formerly Twitter):
“For the first time in the country’s history, those guilty of cow slaughter have been sentenced to life imprisonment. This is not just a verdict; it is a message. Those who commit injustice against the mother cow — a symbol of our faith and culture — will not be spared.”
The precedent-setting judgment was pronounced by Sessions Judge Rizwana Bukhari after a year-long trial that gripped the town of Amreli and ignited statewide debate over the Gujarat Animal Protection Act. The court found Akram Haji Solanki, Sattar Ismail Solanki and Qasim Solanki guilty of slaughtering cows and engaging in the illegal beef trade.
The case is of November 6, 2023 when ASI R N Malkiya and his team from Amreli City Police raided a house in Khatkiwad following a tip-off from Police Officer Vanraj Manjaria.
At the residence of the main accused, Akram Solanki, officers discovered gruesome evidence — animal tails, skins, and leg pieces scattered across the kitchen. While Qasim Solanki was arrested on the spot, Akram and Sattar Solanki initially escaped but were later apprehended.
Public Prosecutor Chandresh B. Mehta who led the prosecution, described the verdict as a milestone.
“This ruling is historic not only for Amreli but for all of Gujarat. For the first time, three individuals in a single cow slaughter case have received life imprisonment. It demonstrates that Gujarat’s cow protection law, introduced under Narendra Modi’s leadership as Chief Minister, is not merely symbolic—it enforces justice with conviction,” he said.
During the proceedings, Mehta presented strong evidence and eyewitness accounts proving that the accused had deliberately slaughtered cows for the illegal meat trade.
Under Section 5 of the Gujarat Animal Protection Act, each convict was sentenced to life imprisonment and fined Rs. 5 lakh. Additional penalties were imposed under Section 6 (b) (seven years and Rs. 1 lakh fine), Section 429 IPC (five years and Rs. 5,000 fine), and Section 295 IPC (three years and Rs. 3,000 fine). All sentences will run concurrently, with additional imprisonment in case of non-payment of fines.
As Judge Bukhari read the verdict, the courtroom fell silent before animal welfare activists, who had followed the case closely, broke into emotional applause.
The judgment is being viewed as a watershed moment in Gujarat’s legal and cultural landscape. It reinforces the state’s commitment to enforcing cow protection laws to their fullest extent and sets a new precedent for future prosecutions under the Gujarat Animal Protection Act.
Also Read: Ahmedabad Court Hands 7-Year Jail Term For Cow Slaughter, Harsh Sanghavi Reacts https://www.vibesofindia.com/ahmedabad-court-hands-7-year-jail-term-for-cow-slaughter-harsh-sanghavi-reacts/
