Pehlu Khan lynching case: After police clean chit to accused, Congress attacks BJP govt in Rajasthan

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has attacked the BJP government in Rajasthan for denying justice to the family of Pehlu Khan, a 55-year-old dairy farmer who was lynched to death by cow vigilantes in Alwar in April this year.

This comes a day after the Rajasthan Police found no evidence against the 6 people Pehlu Khan had named as accused in his dying declaration. The police subsequently removed their names from the FIR and dropped charges against them. 

Addressing a press conference organised by party leader Shehzad Poonawalla in which Khan's wife and son were also present, Digvijaya said, "Pehlu Khan gave names in his dying declaration. Instead of taking action against them, the BJP government is deliberately protecting the accused. We condemn this act. The accused are threatening the victims. Who will protect them? Congress will continue to fight for the victims of such mob lynching incidents."

Singh also hit out at PM Modi, stating that he was encouraging such incidents and had rarely asked his BJP-ruled state governments what action they had taken to curb such crimes.

Shehzad Poonawala said, "Despite a dying declaration, eyewitness accounts and video evidence, no action has been taken against the culprits. Instead, the court used weak evidence supporting the accused to acquit them. The police are acting under pressure. This smacks of a massive cover-up."

The Congress said it will file a petition in the Supreme Court.

Congress leaders Digvijaya Singh and Shehzad Poonawalla addressing the media with Pehlu Khan's family.

'VICTIMS ARE BEING BRANDED AS ACCUSED'

Shehzad's brother Tehseen Poonawala added, "Victims are being branded as accused, as if they were at fault. We hope to take the matter before the Supreme Court so that we can bring them justice. The petition will include other similar cases of mob lynching like that of Akhlaq. The victims must be given adequate compensation."

Tehseen also spoke about implementing the MASUKA (Maanav Suraksha Kanoon), a new draft to address the menace of mob lynching, to stop such cases and said he would bear all costs of the case.

Pehlu Khan's son Irshad, who was an eyewitness to the lynching, said, "I saw them stop our vehicle and beat us up and they were allowed to go. The BJP government is to be blamed for this. While most culprits have not been arrested, the others have got bail. We are constantly facing threats. Who killed my father? If video evidence and our own accounts are not taken into consideration, then who killed him?"

"No body came to the rescue of my father. A mob attacked him in front of us. Every time I think of that day, we are filled with pain. We request that the case be taken out of the state and our hope is only with  the Supreme Court now", Irshad said.

The Criminal Investigation Department of Rajasthan Police had on Thursday found that none of the six accused in the Pehlu Khan lynching in April this year were actually involved in the attack on him.

Pehlu Khan, in his dying declaration had named Om Yadav, Hukum Chand Yadav, Sudhir Yadav, Jagmal Yadav, Naveen Sharma and Rahul Saini as his attackers.

Khan, a 55-year-old dairy farmer, was lynched by cow vigilantes in Alwar's Behror area in April this year when he was transporting cows. The police removed their names from the FIR after saying that not one of them was even anywhere near the place where he was beaten up. The report recommended the registration of a case against two more suspects. Seven people, who were arrested earlier, are out on bail. Two of them are juveniles.

ALSO WATCH VIDEO | Rajasthan Police gives clean chit to 6 accused in Pehlu Khan lynching case