india

Updated: Jun 29, 2019 16:18 IST

Pehlu Khan’s son has expressed surprise at the Congress government’s chargesheet, filed against his late father, for cow smuggling even as Rajasthan chief minister assured to reinvestigate the case if any discrepancies were found.

Pehlu Khan was thrashed by self-styled cow vigilantes, who accused him of smuggling cattle, on April 1, 2017 near Behror in Alwar. Khan claimed he had bought the cows from a cattle market and was taking them to his hometown. He died at a private hospital on April 3. The assault by the mob had generated political heat in the state.

Pehlu Khan’s family said it was disappointed after learning that Rajasthan cops had filed a chargesheet against him . They said they had expected justice from the Congress government.

“The chargesheet was unexpected. My father was killed by a mob. We thought that the new Congress government will take back case against us but they have filed a chargesheet,” said Irshad, Khan’s eldest son.

The chargesheet was prepared on December 30, last year, soon after the Congress came to power in the state. It was presented before the additional chief judicial magistrate’s court in Behror on May 29.

Chief minister Ashok Gehlot said investigation in the case was done by the previous BJP government and the chargesheet was presented by his government. He said if any discrepancies were found, the case will be reinvestigated.

According to the chargesheet, charges of cow smuggling against Khan and his sons Irshad (25) and Asif (22) were found true 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 act prohibits the export of bovine animals for the purpose of slaughter and regulates temporary migration or export for other purposes; it also deems the transporter liable for the same punishment as the person committing the offence.

Owner of the pick-up truck Jagdish Prasad has also been charged.

There were two FIRs registered in the case. One was against the mob for beating Pehlu Khan to death and second against Khan and his family for transporting cattle (cow) illegally out of the state.