ISLAMABAD, Dec 5: Four persons were arrested by a joint team of Capital Development Authority (CDA)’s health directorate and the police on the charge of supplying meat of dead animals to the local markets; the police said on Monday.

The arrests were made in response to complaints lodged by the residents with the health directorate stating that meat of dead animals was being sold in the markets.

During an investigation by the health directorate, it was revealed that such meat was being transported to Islamabad from central Punjab.

On a tip later, health inspector Imran Hanif along with his team, including policemen from Golra police, intercepted a Toyota Corolla at the toll plaza. During search, beef weighing 40 maunds was recovered from the car.

The car raiders - Ghulam Raza, Nasir Mehmood and Mohammad Waseem - were taken into custody and shifted to the police station. In response to the health inspector’s complaint, the police registered a case under section 269 of the PPC (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 272 (adulteration of food or drink intended for sale) and 273 (sale of noxious food or drink). The accused were produced in the court of duty judge Usman Ali Awan from where they were sent to Adiala Jail on judicial remand.

The police said they wanted physical remand of the accused but their counsel opposed it and requested for bail. However, the judge put conditions of bounds worth Rs500,000 and personnel surety from two local residents for each accused. On their failure to fulfil the conditions, they were sent to jail.

The police said the accused were residents of Sargodha and operated a meat shop at the service road in G-11. According to the police, the accused told the investigators that they collected dead animals in Sargodha and its adjacent villages, towns and rural areas and brought its meat to Islamabad for sale for the last six months.

When contacted, the health inspector, Imran Hanif, said they had been receiving public complaints for the last a couple of months.

When asked how they determined that the meat was of dead animals, he said: “It was smelly meat of water buffaloes and its appearance was suspicious.”  Likewise, he added, there was no official stump on the meat from any slaughter house.

Mr Hanif also stated that meat transportation from one district to another was also illegal.