Alwar lynching case: Pehlu Khan not named in chargesheet, says CM Gehlot

Alwar, June 29: The Rajasthan government has filed a chargesheet against Pehlu Khan, the dairy farmer who was lynched by a mob of gau rakshaks in Alwar for transporting cattle, and his two sons in April 2017.

Charged posthumously, Pehlu Khan has been accused under sections 5, 8 and 9 of the Rajasthan Bovine Animal (Prohibition of Slaughter and Regulation of Temporary Migration or Export) Act, 1995 and Rules, 1995. The chargesheet also names his two sons, Irshad and Arif.

The chargesheet against Khan was prepared on December 30 last year, 13 days after Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's government came into power in Rajasthan.

Reacting to the reports, chief minister Ashok Gehlot claimed that the case was done in the past during BJP government.

"Investigation of this case was done in the past during the BJP government and chargesheet was presented. If any discrepancies are found in the investigation, case will be re-investigated," said Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

Later taking to twitter, Gehlot wrote:

"This is a separate case which was registered and investigated under previous government in 2017-18 against Arif, Irshad and Khan Mohd (Transporter), since accused name in the chargesheet were not present at the time of the submission in December 2018, the District court accepted the Challan on 24th may 2018. However, our government will see if investigation was done with predetermined intentions," he wrote.

"The Congress party is ideologically committed against any kind of Lynching anywhere in the country and our government is vigilant to ensure it will not have happened again," he added.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Gyan Dev Ahuja slammed the Congress party for allegedly "taking credit" for the chargesheet against Pehlu Khan.

"Locals caught Pehlu Khan's vehicle in which he was smuggling cows and they had only stopped them. He died in police custody; locals hadn't beaten him. Now when chargesheet has been filed against him, Congress is taking credit. But Congress then gave financial help to his family," he said.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said in a tweet: "Congress in 'Power' is replica of BJP , Muslims of Rajasthan must realise this, reject such individuals/organisations who are brokers of congress party & start developing their own independent political platform, 70 years is a long time please CHANGE."

Khan and others were allegedly attacked by cow vigilantes in Alwar on April 1 while they were on their way to Haryana after purchasing cattle in Rajasthan. Khan, a dairy farmer, succumbed to injuries two days later.

Khan and those along with him were attacked as the mob suspected them of illegally smuggling cattle. The incident triggered a massive outrage in 2017.