In a swift response to the recently imposed ban on halal-certified products, the Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration initiated a widespread crackdown across all 75 districts. The ban encompasses the production, storage, distribution, and sale of all halal-certified food products, excluding those intended for export. The move aims to address concerns about the existence of a “parallel system” causing confusion regarding the quality of food items.
Officials from the Food Safety and Drug Administration, stationed at their state headquarters in Lucknow, are closely monitoring the raids conducted at shopping malls, grocery stores, and other retail outlets. State Food Safety and Drug Administration Additional Commissioner Divyanshu Patel emphasized that the order prohibiting the sale of halal-certified products had been communicated to all field units, and reports from various districts were being compiled.
However, reports from several districts indicate that, as of now, no halal-certified products have been discovered in the ongoing raids. For instance, in Kanpur district, raids were conducted at 23 locations, but no halal-certified products were seized. The crackdown is expected to continue over the next few days, with officials awaiting comprehensive reports from all districts.
Simultaneously, the state police’s Special Task Force (STF) has initiated an investigation into an FIR related to the sale of halal-certified products in Lucknow. The case, initially lodged at Hazratganj police station, was transferred to the STF. The FIR implicated a company and three organizations for allegedly providing “illegal halal certificates” to products sold in the state. The FIR also named other manufacturing companies and individuals, accusing them of participating in an “anti-national conspiracy” and funding terror outfits.
The STF Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Anant Deo stated that it is too early to provide details on the probe, emphasizing that all aspects of the case would be thoroughly investigated.
The organizations named in the FIR, including Chennai-based Halal India Private Limited, New Delhi-based Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust, and Mumbai-based Halal Council of India and Jamiat Ullema, face charges such as criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity, and cheating.
Responding to the allegations, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, one of the accused entities, deemed the claims baseless and vowed to take necessary legal measures to counter misinformation. The organization clarified that its certification process aligns with both export and domestic distribution requirements in India, as endorsed by the Ministry of Commerce.
As the crackdown unfolds and investigations progress, the situation surrounding halal-certified products in Uttar Pradesh remains fluid, with both authorities and accused entities awaiting further developments.