SC upholds one-year sentence for cow slaughter

Nearly seven years after Khursheed was convicted by a trial court for cow slaughter and sentenced to one year's simple imprisonment, the Supreme Court has upheld the punishment.

Dismissing an appeal filed by the accused challenging a Punjab and Haryana high court order rejecting his plea against the trial court order, a Bench comprising Justice B P Singh and Justice S B Sinha directed the Gurgaon police to take Khursheed into custody.

Cancelling the bail bonds of Khursheed, the Bench said "he should be forthwith taken into custody to serve out the remainder of the sentence."

Khursheed was convicted under the Punjab Prohibition of Cow Slaughter Act by the judicial magistrate at Nuh and sentenced to a year's simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000

was imposed on him.

The lawyer of the accused submitted before the HC that the sentence was harsh and pleaded it be reduced.

Rejecting the plea, the Bench said: "Having considered the facts and circumstances of the case and also taking note of the fact that the offence under Section 8 is punishable with a maximum of five years imprisonment, we do not feel persuaded to interfere with the quantum of sentence."