Ashok Gehlot welcomes HC's decision to dismiss FIR against Pehlu Khan

Chief Minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot welcomed the High Court's decision to dismiss the FIR and charge-sheet against Pehlu Khan in a cattle smuggling case. On October 30, the Rajasthan High Court dismissed the FIR and the charge-sheet against Khan, his two sons, and the driver of the vehicle in the case. Two FIRs were filed in the case, one against the attackers, and the other accusing Khan and his sons of allegedly transporting cattle without requisite permissions.

'The decision will be welcomed across the country'

Speaking to news agency ANI, Gehlot said, "Whenever mob lynching is reported in future, Khan will be remembered by the governments and police. In this case, no FSL (Forensic Science Laboratory) report was made and there was no proper investigation as well. So our government formed a SIR and made an appeal in the High Court." He added, "The decision will be welcomed across the country. A conspiracy was hatched and a false case was filed to protect the real culprits in the Pehlu Khan case."

'I don't know why these bills have not been passed till now'

Gehlot further stated that the Rajasthan government has made laws for both, honour killing and mob lynching. "Rajasthan is the first state in India to introduce the facility of registering the FIR at the SP office if the police are not registering it in the respective police station," said Gehlot. "Two bills - for honour killing and mob lynching are still lying in the home ministry and I don't know why these bills have not been passed till now," he added.

READ | State govt trying to draw more industries: Gehlot

On October 14, the Rajasthan government had filed an appeal in the High Court challenging the acquittal of six accused by a lower court in connection with the lynching of Pehlu Khan in 2017. In September, an SIT, which was set up to probe and identify lapses and irregularities in the police investigation in the lynching case, submitted its report to the state government. The Rajasthan government had announced constitution of the SIT to probe afresh the case after a Rajasthan court on August 14 acquitted all six men accused of lynching Pehlu Khan on the benefit of the doubt.

READ | Pehlu Khan lynching: Gehlot govt moves HC against acquittal of accused

Pehlu Khan was lynched by cow vigilantes

On April 1 in 2017, Khan, a 55-year-old dairy farmer from Haryana's Nuh, was beaten up by cow vigilantes near Behror in Rajasthan on Delhi-Alwar highway. He had succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital two days later. An amateur video of the incident that had also gone viral showed Khan being beaten up by a mob, thrown to the ground and kicked. Three, of the nine people accused of his murder, were underage.

READ | Ashok Gehlot tweets concern over sedition charges on 49 celebrities

READ | Rupani demands apology, Vaghela backs Ashok Gehlot on prohibition

(With ANI inputs)