Lab terms samples 'unfit for testing', says CID report

Kolkata: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has submitted its report to the Alipore Court on Wednesday in connection with the carcass meat row, highlighting that the central laboratory has stated that most of the samples were unfit for testing.

CID had sent samples of the carcass meat to the laboratory for testing a few months ago. After going through the samples, the laboratory authorities clearly wrote to the investigating agency, that "the meat is unfit for carrying out test and the stale samples did not even look edible."

Sources said that the CID has highlighted the findings of the laboratory in its report and stated that the samples of the meat were not fit for testing. Later, an officer raised the question "how can the meat, which is unfit for test, be treated as fit for human consumption?"

It may be recalled that it was April 19 when the carcass meat case came to light, when local people beat up two youths and handed them over to the police after they were caught chopping off flesh from dead animals dumped in Budge Budge dump yard.

A case was initiated with Budge Budge police station. Later, CID took up the case and initiated a probe in this connection.

Five persons who were arrested in this connection, pleaded for bail before the court on Wednesday. But their pleas were rejected and they were remanded in judicial custody. It may be recalled that the state government has set up a high powered committee to evolve a foolproof mechanism for bringing an end to the menace of selling carcass meat.

The committee is headed by Chief Secretary Malay De and Home Secretary Atri Bhattacharya, while Commissioner of Kolkata Police Rajeev Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary of Panchayat and Rural Development department and Principal Secretaries of Health department, Urban Development and Municipal Affairs department, Food and Supplies department and Animal Resources Development (ARD) department are members of the committee.

After its first meeting, the committee had recommended allowing police, health department officials and civic bodies to carry out raids, to ensure that no stale food and carcass meat is sold at any place.