Bassi defends Kerala House raid, says acted 'well within the law'

Delhi Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi on Tuesday defended the raid on Kerala House, saying they had done nothing illegal and were well within their rights under the Agricultural Cattle Preservation Act 1994 to investigate.

"We are an instrumentality of law and when we get a call, we have no choice but to respond. And in this case we acted as per the law and are entitled to act in this fashion under the Agricultural Cattle Preservation Act 1994," Bassi told ANI here.

He added that they had no choice but to respond since the call they had received was from a person, who had a history of taking the law into his own hands.

"We went there to ensure there was no trouble. Our police officers went there and alerted their security staff after we got a call from the PCR. We cautioned them against the miscreants and warned them. We still have our officers deployed there as a precautionary measure in case trouble rears again," Bassi added.

Talking about the Agricultural Cattle Preservation Act 1994, the top cop said slaughtering of agricultural cattle such as cow, calf, bull, ox and bullock is prohibited under the act.

"Even the possession of these meats is against the law in the national capital," he added.

Kerala Chief Minister Oomen Chandy however, slammed the Delhi Police and said that it was a government establishment they had barged into and not some 'private' hotel.

"The Delhi Police should have shown restraint. It was not some local restaurant running for profit but an official guest house where they barged into. It's a place where the Chief Minister and other important ministers and dignitaries stay. And even if some sort of complaint arises, there is a proper procedure before action is taken. Clearly, the Delhi police is not under their government's control, but under the Centre's," Chandy told the media here.

Nearly 20 police officials went to Kerala House on Monday evening after Vishnu Gupta, a Hindu Sena leader, called and complained that the canteen at the state guest house was serving beef.

However, the Kerala House said they served only buffalo meat and had named it 'beef'.