Uttar Pradesh: Officials Crack Down On Halal Products As 97 Raids, 482 Inspections Conducted Across 38 Districts

In a recent development, the Uttar Pradesh Food and Safety Department has clarified that meat items are exempted from the ban on halal-certified products in the state.

The move comes as part of a broader enforcement action, resulting in the seizure of 2,275 kg of food items from 482 business establishments across 38 districts within the first three days of the ban.

Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration Commissioner, Anita Singh, provided details of the operation, stating that 97 raids and 482 inspections were conducted in districts such as Agra, Mainpuri, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur, Ambedkar Nagar, and Moradabad.

As per reports by Indian Express, The seized products, including pasta, sewai, mint, pulses, and salt, will be relabeled, and retailers and manufacturers will receive instructions accordingly.

Singh emphasised that the ban excludes products intended for export and meat items.

The decision to prohibit halal-certified products was prompted by the discovery that some organisations, lacking the necessary qualifications, were issuing halal certificates to various products, including edible oil, mint, rice, and bakery items.

The enforcement action was initiated following the lodging of an FIR in Lucknow against a company and three organisations accused of providing "illegal halal certificates."

The FIR also named other manufacturing companies and individuals allegedly involved in anti-national activities and funding terror outfits.

An official from the Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration revealed that over 600 companies were found to be selling products in the domestic market with halal certificates from non-government bodies, such as the Halal Trust of India.

The crackdown aims to regulate the halal certification process and ensure compliance with the India Conformity Assessment Schemes (i-CAS) under the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB).

Meanwhile, the UP Special Task Force continues its investigation into the FIR, addressing concerns about the certification of halal products for domestic consumption.