MUMBAI, July 15 -- While terming the continuing smuggling of beef in the state despite a ban "a serious matter", minister of state for home Pankaj Bhoyar on Monday announced that the Mahayuti government would form a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the matter. Shrikant Bhartiya, BJP member in the legislative council, on Monday raised the issue of beef smuggling and expressed concern, as the state has passed a law which prohibits slaughter, sale and possession, and transportation of beef. He pointed out an incident at Kusgaon, Lonavala, in March, in which 57,000 kg of beef was seized from two containers, and referred to reports on the continuous smuggling of 20 to 25 tonnes of beef from Dharashiv district in Marathwada to parts of Telangana. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Parab also expressed concern over the matter and said that it demonstrated the failure of the home department to effectively execute the beef ban. He also supported the demand for an SIT probe to go to the root of the beef-smuggling racket. While replying to Bhartiya and Parab, Bhoyar admitted that beef smuggling was a serious matter, adding that in 2025, 76 cases were filed in Dharashiv district alone. According to home department data from 2022 up to June 2025, a total of 2,849 cases were registered under the beef ban act, and 4,678 accused persons were arrested with 1,724 tonnes of beef. Pointing to this data, he announced the SIT probe. Saurabha Kulshreshtha...