In the Alwar mob lynching case, the Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday ordered the cancellation of the cow smuggling case against Pehlu Khan, his two sons and the driver. The bench of Justice Pankaj Bhandari gave these instructions to the state administration following a petition filed by Pehlu Khan’s son Irshad and driver Khan Mohammad. On April 2017, Pehlu Khan was beaten to death by a mob on charges of cow smuggling. He died in the hospital. In August of the same month, the Alwar court acquitted six accused of killing Pehlu Khan.
Police removed the name of Pehlu Khan from the charge sheet
The Alwar police on May 24 filed a charge sheet against the three accused under the Rajasthan Bovine Animals Act 1995. Pehlu Khan was dead, so his name was not included. However, his name was in the summaries of the chargesheet smuggling. The police were firm in their stand that the investigation proved a smuggling case against Pehlu Khan, his sons and truck operator Khan Mohammed.
Pehlu Khan was Beaten On Suspicion Of Cow Smuggling
On 1 April 2017, Haryana resident Pehlu Khan (55) along with his two sons Arif and Irshad were buying cows from Jaipur in pickup truck. The crowd stopped and started beating up all of them. After some time, Pehlu’s friends came in the other pickup smuggling truck, they were also beaten. Critically injured Pehlu was admitted to the hospital in Bahrod, where he died on 4 April. In the erstwhile BJP government, a case was registered against 200 people, including 6 nominees, based on the statement of pehlu Khan.
What All Happened Till Date
1 April 2017: Pehlu Khan and his companions, carrying 36 cows in 3 pickups and 3 cantara trains, stopped near Jagubas Chowk. The crowd thrashed him. Five people were injured in the fight including Pehlu Khan.
April 2: A case was registered against 200 people, including 6 nominated, on the basis of the statement of injured Pehlu Khan .
April 4: Injured Pehlu Khan dies during treatment. The police registered a case of murder. Post mortem of Pehlu’s body was done. After the murder in mob lynching, the matter was spread all over the country.
April 5: The Superintendent of Police declared a reward of five thousand rupees against six nominated people.
April 7: Investigation of the case handed over to the Bahrod DSP.
April 8: The state government sent the report to the central government.
April 9: The then IG Hemant Priyadarshi visited the scene of the incident.
April 26: Behror remained closed in protest against arrest and harassment by police.
All six accused were acquitted
A chargesheet was filed in the court on 31 May 2017 against Vipin Yadav, Ravindra Yadav, Kaluram Yadav, Dayanand Yadav and Yogesh Kumar Khati, accused in the murder of Pehlu Khan. Whereas, on 5 January 2018, a supplementary charge sheet under 173 (8) was filed considering Bhima Rathi as an accused. The police presented a challan in the Juvenile Court against the 3 accused in this case as minor. The court acquitted all, giving the benefit of doubt when the charge was not proved.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot summoned the officials of the Home and Law Department regarding this matter in the CMO. After this, the government constituted the SIT to find out the flaws in the police investigation.