The petitioner had challenged an order of a magistrate court that dismissed his plea for interim custody of the cows which were rescued by the police based on a complaint alleging that they were being transported illegally.
Through advocate T Veerakumar, the petitioner told the court that he was an agriculturist and was transporting the cattle to a village in Virudhunagar District owing to the drought situation in his own village.
He requested that the cows be returned to him as his livelihood depended on them and even undertook never to sell or abandon them and to abide by all conditions set by the court.
However, the police claimed that the man was not an agriculturist and was transporting the cows for slaughtering. Further, they told the Court that the petitioner had also violated the Transport of Animals Rules and expressed apprehension that if he given custody of the cows, he may once again commit the same offence.
The original complainant stated that the cows, all below 10 years of age, had their legs tied up in a cruel manner. She informed the court that on inspection by a veterinarian doctor, it was found that they had suffered multiple injuries and that one of them was pregnant.
Source: Barandbench
