Gehlot govt to challenge Pehlu Khan lynching verdict

New Delhi, Aug 14: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said his government would challenge the verdict in Pehlu Khan lynching case in which all six accused were acquitted.

"Our State Government has enacted law against mob lynching in first week of August 2019. We are committed to ensuring justice for the family of late Pehlu Khan. State Government will file appeal against order of ADJ," Ashok Gehlot told news agency ANI.

The judgment came less than ten days after the Rajasthan Assembly passed a bill providing for life imprisonment and a fine up to Rs 5 lakh to convicts in cases of mob lynching involving the victim's death.

The police had registered cases against suspects Om Yadav (45), Hukum Chand Yadav (44), Sudhir Yadav (45), Jagmal Jagmal Yadav (73), Naveen Sharma (48) and Rahul Saini (24) and more than 200 unnamed people.

The trial in the lynching case concluded on August 7. More than 40 witnesses, including Khan's two sons who were with him on the day of the incident, have deposed in the case so far.

Pehlu Khan, a resident of Haryana's Nuh village, was beaten up by cow vigilantes near Behror in Rajasthan on 1 April 2017 for allegedly transporting cattle without permission.