Meerut, Apr 1 (IANS): A meat factory owned by former minister and BSP leader, Haji Yakoob Qureshi, was raided by a joint team of the police, weights & measures department, pollution board and other departments.

"The raid was conducted after complaints that the factory's licence had expired, but processing/packaging of meat was still on. A big consignment of meat was stored in the factory and officials were assessing its weight and legal status," said SP (rural) Keshav Mishra.

The raid ended late on Thursday night. Sources said that a sample of suspected 'cow meat' found at the factory has been sent for test.

Situated on Hapur road, the factory, Al Faheem Meatex Pvt Ltd, exports packaged meat to the Middle East and other countries.

Haji Yakoob's son Imran Qureshi, said he was out of town and did not know much about the raid. He, however, claimed that there was no illegal practice in the factory.

"Some packets of stored meat were damaged while shifting and they were being re-packed," he added.

BSP leader Haji Yakoob had contested 2019 Lok Sabha election and lost by a slender margin to his nearest rival - BJP's Rajendra Agarwal.

He was a minister in the BSP government in UP and made headlines after announcing a bounty on the head of a Danish cartoonist who made a caricature of Prophet Mohammad in 2006.