We are now hopeful of getting justice : Pehlu Khan family members on Raj govt forming SIT

Shattered after a local court in Alwar on Wednesday acquitted all six men accused of lynching Pehlu Khan in 2017, the Rajasthan government's decision to constitute an SIT to probe afresh the Alwar lynching has given a new hope to family members of Khan, who say they are now assured of getting the justice.

"After the judgment, we were very disappointed but the Rajasthan government decision's to get the case probed again has given us hope. Inshah Allah, we will now get justice," said Pehlu Khan's elder Son Irshad.

"Our hopes have revived after this order of the govt. It'll ensure justice to us. But, we'll go to High Court also," said Pehlu Khan's wife.

A Rajasthan court on Wednesday acquitted all six men accused of lynching Pehlu Khan to death in 2017. The accused men were let off on the benefit of the doubt. However, reviving the hope of Khan's family, the Congress government in Rajasthan on Friday announced to constitute a special investigation team (SIT) to probe afresh the Alwar lynching case.

Pehlu Khan's younger son, Mubarik who drives a lorry said: "I have invested 9 months of my earning in pursuing the case in court. When I heard about the judgment I was shattered. Two of my brothers stay at home and not earn because of the court case. Justice is denied because police diluted the case and produced no evidence."

Pehlu Khan, a cattle trader, was beaten to death allegedly by self-proclaimed cow vigilantes on suspicion of cow smuggling in Alwar district 2017.

The decision to set up an SIT was taken at a high-level meeting with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot here two days after all six accused in the case were acquited by a lower court on the benefit of the doubt.

The SIT will probe and identify lapses and irregularities in the police investigation.The team will be headed by Deputy Inspector General SOG Nitindeep Ballagan and also comprise SP, CB-CID Sameer Kumar Singh and Additional SP, Vigilance, Samir Dubey. It will submit its report within 15 days.Documents and oral evidence which were not collected before in the case will be collected by the SIT, the government said.

After the investigation, the government will approach the higher court against the district court's order and will take the help of a senior lawyer.

Following the verdict on Wednesday, Gehlot had said that the government will appeal against it and had a clear position that no form of mob lynching should take place.