2017 Alwar mob lynching: Victim Pehlu Khan, sons charged for smuggling cattle

The Rajasthan Police filed a chargesheet for cow smuggling against Pehlu Khan, who was allegedly lynched in 2017 by a mob of 'gau rakshaks' in Alwar for transporting cattle, and his two sons.

The police chargesheeted Pehlu Khan's sons Irsad (25) and Arif (22) under sections 5, 8 and 9 while charges have been framed against the deceased under section 6 of the Rajasthan Bovine Animal (Prohibition of Slaughter and Regulation of Temporary Migration or Export) Act, 1995.

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

Section 5 of the RBA Act pertains to the prohibition of the export of bovine animals for the purpose of slaughter and regulation of temporary migration or export for other purposes, while section 6 says the transporter is also an abettor and is liable for the same punishment as the person committing the offence.

Section 8 is about the penalty for such offences while Section 9 mentions punishment for causing hurt to a bovine animal. In 2018, the previous BJP government in the state had filed a similar chargesheet against two associates of Pehlu Khan, who were also attacked by the mob.

There were two FIRs registered in the case. One was against the mob for beating Pehlu Khan to death and second against him and his family for transporting cattle (cow) illegally out of the state.

The police had earlier given a clean chit to the six people accused of lynching Pehlu Khan, a dairy farmer. The police's decision was reportedly based on statements of the staff of a cow shelter and mobile phone records.

55-year-old Pehlu Khan, a native of Nuh in Haryana, was brutally beaten up by self-styled cow vigilantes near Behror in Rajasthan on the Delhi-Alwar highway on April 1, accusing him of smuggling cattle. He succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital on April 3. The lynching was caught on camera.

On police booking Pehlu Khan for cow smuggling, Rajasthan BJP MLA Gyan Dev Ahuja said that Pehlu Khan, his brother and sons were habitual offenders. Gyan Dev Ahuja also claimed that all the allegations against the 'gau rakshaks' and the Hindu Parishad are wrong.

"Pehlu Khan, his brother and sons were habitual offenders and were continuously involved in cow smuggling. All the allegations levelled against gau rakshaks and Hindu Parishad are wrong," he said on Saturday.

"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 added.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi slammed the Congress governement on Twitter saying: "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."

Terming the chargesheet a condemnable act by the Ashok Gehlot government, Owaisi said, "It's double face of Congress. When Pehlu Khan was attacked, Congress condemned it. It's a condemnable act by Ashok Gehlot government. Urge Muslims of Rajasthan to stop supporting Congress which always betrayed you."

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

(With inputs from ANI)