A few online readers have questioned the veracity of a Times of India report published on July 28 under the title ‘HC Stays Action Against 2 bringing meat to city.’

The report, which TOI stands by, was based on a Bombay High Court order of July 17 directing the police not to file chargesheet, if not already filed, against the driver and cleaner of a transport vehicle for allegedly transporting beef into Maharashtra. The incident had taken place in December 2017.

Cow slaughter and sale of beef is illegal under the Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act.

The police at that time did not inform the high court of any forensic test conducted to prove that the meat was indeed beef. The transporter had claimed that the confiscated consignment was of buffalo meat and it was coming from Kolkata.

Readers who questioned the TOI report had forwarded copies of a forensic report which had found the meat to be beef. But no such report was presented before the high court on July 17. Neither was a copy of the chargesheet presented to the court on the day.

The July 17 order also pointed to a 2016 high court judgment that said beef procured from outside - not obtained from slaughtered cows in Maharashtra - is not an offence.

The HC order of July 17 is attached here . As is clear, it makes no mention of any chargesheet or a forensic report. TOI, therefore, stands by its July 28 report.

On Tuesday July 31, at the next hearing, the prosecution informed the high court that a chargesheet was filed in the Khalapur trial court in June.

On Thursday, August 2, TOI accessed the chargesheet which encloses a forensic test report of January 2018 which concluded that the meat was beef. The chargesheet also states that the Kolkata-based trader, named as an additional (third) accused, allegedly forged challan documents to evade taxes and showed beef as buffalo meat.

The next hearing in the high court will take place on August 22, and proceedings in the Khalapur trial court have been stayed until August 23.

