SIT to probe Pehlu Khan lynching case, will submit report in 15 days

Rajasthan government led by CM Ashok Gehlot on Friday formed a three-member Special Investigation Team to probe into the lapses in police probe in Pehlu Khan lynching case.

SIT has been asked to file its report within 15 days. Pehlu was allegedly lynched in 2017 by cow vigilantes who accused him of smuggling cattle.
Special Investigation Team will be headed by DIG (special operations group) Nitin Deep Blaggan. It will include SP (crime branch) Sameer Kumar Singh and additional SP (vigilance) Sameer Kumar Dubey. It will work under the supervision of additional DGP (crime) B L Soni.

SIT’s mandate includes collecting evidence that the earlier probe team had failed to gather. The government has also decided to engage a senior lawyer to challenge the acquittals in a higher court.

Additional district judge Sarita Swami had noted in her order on Wednesday that the police probe had serious shortcomings and the accused had a right to the benefit of doubt. “Neither the video on the basis of which the accused were chargesheeted, nor the phone on which the video was shot seized and produced before the court. This shows serious negligence by the investigating officer,” the judge had noted.