The Indian Express on June 28, 2019, reported that name of Pehlu Khan, the dairy farmer who was lynched by ‘Gau Rakshaks’ in Alwar for transporting cattle on April 1, 2017, has been named posthumously in a chargesheet filed by Rajasthan police. 

Following the IE report, police stated that Pehlu Khan’s name was mentioned in a summary section of the chargesheet, but since a dead man can’t be put on trial, Pehlu Khan’s name was removed from the accused list of the chargesheet.

“Pehlu Khan’s name has been exclusively dropped and chargesheet has been filed against Irshad and Arif (Khan’s sons)…and Khan Mohammad (truck owner),” told Inspector General of Police (Jaipur range) S Sengathir to The Indian Express.

What Does Chargesheet Say?

In the chargesheet, police have named Pehlu Khan and his sons (Irshad and Aarif) 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 police have also named Khan Mohammad, the owner of the pick-up truck that was used for transporting the cattle.

The chargesheet filed against FIR number 253/13 of Behror police station, states, “after a 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.”

The chargesheet was prepared on December 30, 2018, days after the Congress government came into power in Rajasthan. The chargesheet was presented in the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate court, on May 29, in Behror.

Earlier under the BJP government, Alwar police in a chargesheet, filed on January 24, 2018, had named two people who accompanied Pehlu Khan in the pick-up truck.

CM Ghelot Terms Report As “Factually Incorrect”

However, Rajasthan Chief Minister claimed that the media report is factually incorrect. “Name of Late Pehlu Khan is not there in the chargesheet submitted by Rajasthan Police in December 2018. This is a separate case which was registered and investigated under the previous government in 2017-18 against Mr Arif, Mr Irshad and Mr Khan Mohd (Transporter), since accused name in the chargesheet was 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 the investigation was done with predetermined intentions,” Gehlot said in a Twitter post.

Ghelot further said that Congress is ideologically committed against lynching in the country.

News reported in Indian Express is factually incorrect. Name of Late #PehluKhan is not there in the chargesheet submitted by #Rajasthan Police in December 2018.
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— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) June 29, 2019

Congress’s Double Standard 

After the names of Pehlu Khan, his two sons Irshad and Aarif, and the driver Mohammad appeared in the chargesheet, Irshad told the Indian Express, “We had hoped that the new Congress government in Rajasthan will review and withdraw the case against us but now a chargesheet has been filed against us. We hoped for justice after the government change but that didn’t happen.”

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi accused the Congress of double standards. “It’s the double face of Congress. When Pehlu Khan was attacked, Congress condemned it. It’s a condemnable act by Ashok Gehlot govt. Urge Muslims of Rajasthan to stop supporting Congress which always betrayed you,” Owaisi said.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders Gyan Dev Ahuja claiming that Pehlu Khan and his family were habitual offenders of cow smuggling said, “Pehlu Khan, his brother & sons were habitual offenders & were continuously involved in cow smuggling. All the allegations levelled against Gau Rakshaks & Hindu Parishad were wrong.”

Also Read: Pehlu Khan Lynching: Key Witnesses Including Victim’s Sons Shot At While Going To Court, FIR Filed