The Uttarakhand government has written to the Dehradun district magistrate, asking him to withdraw the case against Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Ganesh Joshi for killing police horse Shaktiman during a party rally in 2016, ANI reported.

“The government has decided to withdraw the case against Ganesh Joshi, booked under various sections, in public interest,” Ajay Rautela, the state’s additional secretary (home) wrote in his letter to Dehradun District Magistrate SA Murugesan, reported the Hindustan Times.

Reacting to it, Joshi said he was thankful to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat. “A Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry should be initiated against [former Chief Minister] Harish Rawat in the case,” he added.

Case withdrawn,thank Uttarakhand CM. CBI probe should be done agnst Harish Rawat in the case-Ganesh Joshi,BJP on horse Shaktiman attack case pic.twitter.com/mzxDwsI3P0 — ANI (@ANI) October 10, 2017

The 14-year-old mare, who was beaten up by Joshi during a BJP rally on March 14, 2016, suffered multiple fractures and was fitted with a prosthetic leg. However, the horse died on April 20, 2016. The horse had served in the police force for 10 years.

A case was registered against MLA Joshi and his supporters under the Cruelty to Animals Act after which he was arrested.