An investigation into a suspected cow slaughter case in Lucknow has escalated into a criminal conspiracy probe, with police alleging that a businessman
was deliberately framed twice with planted evidence amid a matrimonial dispute. The case began on January 14 when Kakori police intercepted an online porter vehicle on the outskirts of the city and recovered around 12 kilograms of suspected beef.
Framed Twice
The delivery was booked in the name of Wasif, a businessman from Aminabad, who denied any involvement. Authorities said subsequent verification of the booking and delivery process raised red flags, A twist came when CCTV footage from his residence showed that at the exact moment the OTP, used to confirm the delivery was used, Wasif was inside the bathroom, leaving his phone unattended outside.
“That single frame changed the direction of the entire investigation,” a senior officer said as per TOI and led investigators to suspect the consignment was deliberately arranged to implicate him.
Investigators also revisited a similar case from September last year when Wasif was arrested after suspected beef was recovered from his parked vehicle in Hazratganj. He was released shortly thereafter, and police now believe that incident may have been orchestrated as part of a broader plan to frame him.
Fake IDs and a Instagram 'Affair'
A local police officer said the probe later pointed towards an alleged conspiracy linked to a marital dispute. Wasif’s wife, Ameena, and her associate, Amaan, from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, are suspected to have played a key role.
“Amaan, using the husband’s identity documents, booked the online porter from Aminabad to Kakori. The beef was transported from Bhopal, hidden inside a cardboard box, and loaded onto the vehicle. To ensure the police would intercept it, Amaan allegedly tipped off Bajrang Dal members under a fake identity, Rahul,” Inspector Satish Chandra Rathore of Kakori police station was quoted as saying by TOI.
On December 31, Amaan allegedly travelled to Lucknow, where the pair obtained a SIM card registered in the name of a roadside beggar, which was used exclusively to book the consignment. Police also traced the origins of the relationship, noting that the woman and Amaan connected on Instagram in 2022. What began as casual chats eventually developed into an affair.
Police have arrested Amaan, while Ameena remains at large. Efforts are underway to apprehend her, officials said, adding that further legal proceedings are ongoing.
Police Personnel Suspended After HC Controversy
The case took another twist after a complaint was filed alleging that police personnel attempted to detain Ameena from inside the Lucknow High Court premises earlier this week. Based on the complaint from a lawyer who alleged a violation of rules, an FIR was registered at Gomti Nagar’s Vibhuti Khand police station against the concerned policemen.
The FIR invokes Sections 329(3) (criminal trespass), 351(3) (criminal intimidation), and 352 (provocation with intent to cause breach of the peace) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Lucknow West) Vishvajeet Srivastava told PTI, "Investigations are continuing into both the alleged conspiracy and the actions of the suspended personnel, and efforts are on to ensure the arrest of the woman named in the case."
Three police personnel have been suspended in connection with the incident and attached to the reserve police lines, as authorities continue to untangle a case that has shocked both the city and the law enforcement community.
(With Inputs from PTI)
