NEW DELHI: Lucknow Police have uncovered a meticulously planned conspiracy in which a Muslim woman allegedly framed her husband not once but twice in fabricated beef smuggling cases to remove him from her life and live with her lover. The plot, spanning several months, involved fake identities, planted evidence, misuse of online booking systems and deliberate tip-offs to local Hindu organisations, officials said.
According to police, the accused woman, a postgraduate in English literature from Aligarh Muslim University, devised the plan with her partner, Amaan, a BTech graduate from Bhopal, after the two grew close through Instagram nearly two years ago. Her husband, Wasim, a businessman in the paper trade, was repeatedly targeted in what investigators say was a calculated attempt to have him imprisoned and pressured into granting a divorce.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Lucknow West) Vishwajeet Srivastava said the first conspiracy was hatched in August last year. “The accused believed that a cow-slaughter case would ensure immediate arrest and prolonged incarceration, effectively eliminating the husband from her life,” he said
In September, Amaan allegedly used a fake name to infiltrate the Bajrang Dal. With the wife secretly providing him access to Wasim’s Mahindra Thar keys, Amaan planted around 30 kilograms of meat inside the parked vehicle at a Hazratganj parking lot. He then alerted Hindu activists, who informed the police. The meat was recovered, and Wasim was arrested and spent nearly a month in jail before being released on bail. Subsequent investigation later revealed that the meat had been planted.
When the first attempt failed to deliver the desired outcome, police say the duo escalated their plan. This time, they exploited digital platforms to make the case appear more convincing. Using Wasim’s mobile phone, the woman allegedly booked an online porter service. Police say she shared the OTP and booking details with Amaan while her husband was briefly away, a fact later corroborated through CCTV footage installed inside the house.
On January 14, Amaan allegedly arrived in Lucknow carrying 12 kilograms of cow meat. An e-rickshaw was booked to collect a gunny bag from the Old City area and deliver it near Wasim’s factory in Kakori. Once again, Amaan tipped off members of a Hindu organisation—posing under the false identity of “Rahul”—ensuring rapid police interception.
On January 15, Kakori police stopped the e-rickshaw and seized the meat. Wasim was once again detained, primarily because the rickshaw owner possessed both his and his wife’s contact numbers. During questioning, Wasim informed police that he suspected his wife of having an affair and had installed CCTV cameras at home for that reason.
Inspector Satish Chandra Rathore of Kakori police station said the footage proved crucial. “The cameras showed the woman using her husband’s phone to access the OTP while he was in the washroom. Further call data analysis revealed continuous contact with Amaan,” he said.
Police further found that the meat had been transported from Bhopal concealed inside a cardboard box and that the accused had obtained a SIM card using forged identity details, reportedly in the name of a beggar, to coordinate the operation. Investigators believe the two met on December 31 to finalise the second phase of the plan.
The conspiracy began to unravel after police set a trap and arrested Amaan on January 18. During interrogation, he reportedly confessed to his role and detailed how the woman masterminded the operations. However, the woman had already fled their residence.
Police later received information that she was meeting a lawyer inside the Allahabad High Court premises. A police team attempted to apprehend her there, but the operation sparked protests by lawyers who accused the officers of trespassing and of providing misleading information. Amid the chaos, the woman managed to escape. The involved police officers were subsequently suspended, and a departmental inquiry was ordered.
Amaan remains in custody, while search operations are ongoing to locate the woman. Senior officials say the case highlights how personal relationships and digital tools can be misused to fabricate criminal cases, stressing the need for rigorous verification before arrests in sensitive matters.
“This was a deliberate attempt to weaponise communal sensitivities and the legal system for personal gain,” a senior officer said. “We are ensuring that all legal provisions are invoked against those responsible.”
