A 50-year-old Sheikh Mahmud Ali from Hooghly, West Bengal, was held by the police on Tuesday after he was caught selling cow urine and dung as a cure to the novel coronavirus.

The milk trader was produced before the court on the same day and was remanded in four-day judicial custody, as per media reports.

According to a senior police officer in Hooghly district mentioned in the Indian Express report, Ali has been charged under sections 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings) and 120B (punishment for criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code, along with provisions of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954. All the sections are non-bailable.

Mahmud was allegedly selling cow urine of Indian cows at ₹500 per litre , while for the jersey, he was charging ₹400 per litre at a roadside stall at Dankuni.

The case was registered in connection with a “gaumutra (cow urine) party” thrown by a local Bharatiya Janata Party leader at Jorasanko. A Home Guard of the Kolkata Police, who lodged the complaint, said he was misled by the organizers who passed him cow urine as “charanamrita” or ambrosia.

The police have registered the case under sections 269 (unlawfully or negligently spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life), 278 (making the atmosphere noxious to health) and 114 (abettor present when the crime is committed) of the Indian Penal Code and have started an investigation, Indian Express reported.

Meanwhile, West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh asserted that selling cow urine is not a crime. He added that he has also consumed cow urine many a time to reap benefits. He believes that it is just a drama for restraining people from selling cow urine, and those who have faith in the urine will continue consuming it.

The BJP reorganized a ‘drink cow urine’ program at Raiganj in North Dinajpur district on Tuesday. Local BJP leaders drank cow urine to spread the message of its usefulness to combat Covid-19. They also worshipped cows and offered their prayers, Indian Express reported.

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