Sessions Judge Rizvana Bukhari convicted Akram Solanki, Kasim Solanki and Sattar Solanki and also ordered that failure to pay a collective fine of Rs 18 lakh would result in additional imprisonment
AHMEDABAD – For the first time in the state of BJP-ruled Gujarat, three Muslim men were awarded life terms under the Gujarat Animal Preservation Act. A sessions court in Amreli district on Tuesday convicted the three and also imposed a collective fine of more than Rs 18 lakh.
Sessions Judge Rizvana Bukhari convicted Akram Solanki (30), Kasim Solanki (20) and Sattar Solanki (52). The judge also ordered that failure to pay the fine would result in additional imprisonment.
According to Special Public Prosecutor Chandresh Mehta, this is the first time in Gujarat that three individuals have been handed life terms in a single cow-slaughter case, media reports said.
The Gujarat Animal Preservation Act prohibits the slaughter of any animal belonging to the cow progeny in the state.
Critics maintain that the law, often framed as animal welfare measures, disproportionately targets Muslims and Dalits. Members of these marginalised sections of society are involved in the cattle trade, leather industry, and beef consumption. The selective targeting of Muslims has led to economic disruption, vigilante violence, and Islamophobia.
The case dates back to November 6, 2023, when police, acting on a tip-off, raided a house in Baharpara, Khatkivad area of the Amreli town. Investigators reportedly found evidence of cow slaughter and recovered meat from the premises. A veterinary doctor and a forensic team later confirmed that the seized meat was of cow origin.
Accused Akram Solanki was arrested from the spot, while the two others initially fled but later surrendered.
Besides the addition to the Gujarat Animal Preservation Act, the three men also faced charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Gujarat government lauds decision
The Gujarat government welcomed the verdict, saying it remains “committed to cow protection” and that the judgment “makes it clear that the government will teach a tough lesson to those doing injustice to ‘Gaumata’.”
Hailing the ruling as “historic,” government spokesperson and senior minister Jitu Vaghani said it was a “red signal” to those involved in cow slaughter.
The government’s statement emphasised that “Gaumata is a centre of Indian culture and faith,” adding that Gujarat would show “no mercy” in such offences.
Vaghani also noted that strong evidence and a robust chargesheet had led to the convictions.
Under BJP rule, more than 20 states, most of them governed by the Hindutva party, have amended cow-protection laws to impose harsher penalties, including life imprisonment, fines of up to ₹5 lakh, and bans on beef possession and sale.
In Maharashtra, for instance, a 2015 amendment prohibited the slaughter of cows, bulls, and bullocks, and made possession of beef punishable with up to five years in jail.
Uttar Pradesh, under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, closed hundreds of Muslim-run slaughterhouses and meat shops after taking office in 2017.
Many allege that these legislative changes align with the BJP’s Hindutva ideology, which frames “gau raksha,” or cow protection, as an act of cultural preservation. However, data shows that dairy farming, not beef consumption, is the primary driver of cattle slaughter, and India’s buffalo meat exports, worth around ₹4,000 crore annually, remain unaffected by the state-level restrictions.
