Two years after he was lynched to death by a terrorist mob in Alwar, Rajasthan, Police have filed a chargesheet against dairy farmer Pehlu Khan for cow smuggling, in a total mockery of justice. The chargesheet has also named Pehlu Khan’s two sons Irshad and Aarif, and the owners of the pick-up truck, used for transporting the cattle by Pehlu Khan.
Prepared on December 30 last year, days after the Congress government came to power in the state, the chargesheet was presented in the court of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate in Behror on May 29 this year.
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 latest chargesheet has come as a blow to the family. Khan’s eldest son Irshad was quoted by Indian Express as saying that their hopes from the Congress government were shattered after the latest development. Last year, the previous BJP government in the state had filed a similar chargesheet against Azmat and Rafique, two associates of Khan who were also attacked by the terrorist mob.
“After complete investigation in the matter, offences under section 5, 8, 9 RBA Act has been proved against accused Irshad, Aarif and Pehlu Khan while offences under Section 6 RBA Act has been proved against accused Khan Mohammed,” states the current chargesheet filed against FIR number 253/17 of Behror police station, Alwar.
A resident of Jaisinghpur village of Nuh district in Mewat, 55-year-old Pehlu Khan was brutally beaten, after being intercepted by a terrorist mob in Alwar, while he and his two sons, were travelling in a pick-up truck, carrying cattle from Jaipur on April 1, 2017. He was beaten by rods and sticks in full public view, even as he tried to save himself by showing his purchase receipts. He succumbed to his injuries in a hospital on April 3.
However, instead of arresting his murderers, the Rajasthan police gave a clean chit to all the six people, accused of murdering Pehlu Khan. They said that there was no evidence that the six men were present at the time of the attack.
AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi criticised the Congress government for the chargesheet and called it a “replica” of the BJP.
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 https://t.co/gLsimg1m50
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) June 29, 2019
Shiv Sena’s Priyanka Chaturvedi questioning the silence of “selective liberals”.
Pehlu Khan, the unfortunate victim of mob lynching, has been charge sheeted by the Rajasthan government..
The choice of silence and outrage levels of selective liberals is fascinating.
Bye.— Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) June 29, 2019
Kamalnath govt booked 3 Muslims under NSA 6 months ago. Congress even removed implementation of Sachar committee recommendations from 2019 manifesto. There's no difference between BJP & Congress. They are in a race to prove who can punish Muslims the best. https://t.co/czWTIyYeYo
— Nikhil (@nikhil_thatte) June 29, 2019
A cruel and gruesome move by the Congress Govt. in Rajasthan to chargesheet Pehlu Khan, an unfortunate victim of mob lynching, posthumously. This reaffirms that both the BJP and Congress are two sides of the same coin!
— Waris Pathan (@warispathan) June 29, 2019
It’s not Modi, it is Congress who is killing Nehru! https://t.co/HguwtRSjqZ
— Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) June 29, 2019
Dear @ashokgehlot51 the home department is directly under you. Will you not intervene. You are chargesheeting a dead man who was killed by a murderous mob. Shame. https://t.co/NxSW5l31mC
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) June 29, 2019
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Shaik Zakeer Hussain is the Founder and Editor of The Cognate.