Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday termed as “shocking” the trial court’s verdict acquitting all the six accused in the Pehlu Khan lynching case and hoped the Rajasthan government will do justice in the matter.
“The lower court’s decision in the Pehlu Khan case is shocking. In our country, there should be no place of inhumanity and mob killing is a heinous crime,” she tweeted.
In another tweet, the Congress leader said, “Rajasthan government’s initiative to bring law against mob killing is commendable. Hope by getting justice for Pehlu Khan, this will set a good example.”
राजस्थान सरकार द्वारा भीड़ द्वारा हत्या के खिलाफ कानून बनाने की पहल सराहनीय है। आशा है कि पहलू खान मामले में न्याय दिलाकर इसका अच्छा उदाहरण पेश किया जाएगा।
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) August 16, 2019
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An Alwar court had on Thursday acquitted all the six accused in the lynching case, giving them the benefit of doubt.
However, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that the state government will file an appeal against the court’s ruling.
Taking to Twitter, he said, “Our state government has enacted a law against mob lynching in the first week of August 2019. We are committed to ensuring justice for the family of late Pehlu Khan. The state government will file an appeal against the order of Additional District Judge.”
The Rajasthan Assembly had on August 5 passed an anti-lynching Bill that provides for life imprisonment and heavy fines to those convicted in mob lynching incidents after speedy trials.
On April 1, 2017, 55-year-old Pehlu Khan, who was a dairy farmer from Haryana’s Nuh, was beaten up allegedly by cow vigilantes near Behror in Rajasthan on the Delhi-Alwar highway.
He succumbed to injuries at a private hospital two days later.
Two FIRs were filed in the case — one against the attackers and the other accusing Khan and his sons with allegedly transporting cattle without requisite permission.