Cuttack, June 1: The Athagarh Court has sentenced notorious cattle smuggler Tazuddin Khan, alias Taju, a resident of the Badamba police station area in Odisha's Cuttack district, to life imprisonment. The court also imposed a fine of ₹5 lakh, with an additional three years of rigorous imprisonment in case of non-payment.
The court convicted Khan under Section 111(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for his involvement in organised crime, marking one of the notable convictions under the provision.
The case dates back to October 14, 2025, when the Tigiria Police intercepted a pickup van near Gadadharpur village under the Tigiria police station limits in Cuttack district. During the operation, police found nine cattle tied in an extremely cruel manner inside the vehicle. Another car carrying alleged associates of the cattle smuggling network was reportedly escorting the pickup van.
Acting on specific intelligence, the police stopped both vehicles, rescued the cattle, and registered a case against the accused. Following a detailed investigation, the police invoked provisions related to organised crime under Section 111(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
After examining the evidence, the Athagarh Court found Tazuddin Khan guilty of organised crime and awarded him life imprisonment, along with a ₹5 lakh fine. The court further directed that failure to pay the fine would result in an additional three-year jail term.
The judgment is being seen as a significant step in strengthening the legal crackdown on organised cattle smuggling and other organised criminal activities in the state.
