Jaipur, June 29: A political controversy erupted after Rajasthan Police chargesheeted Pehlu Khan, who was lynched for alleged cow smuggling in Rajasthan's Alwar in 2017. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi hit out at Congress and urged Muslims in Rajasthan to stop supporting the party. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, however, said the investigation in the case was done by the former BJP government.

The Rajasthan Police on Saturday filed a chargesheet posthumously declaring Pehlu Khan a "cow smuggler". Khan was beaten to death by a mob on the Jaipur-Delhi Highway in Alwar in April 2017 while he and his sons were bringing cattle bought from a fair in Jaipur to their home in Haryana's Nuh. Khan was a dairy farmer. His sons Irshaad, 25, and Aareef, 22, have also been booked for cow smuggling and slaughter. The charge sheet also names a pick-up driver.

Equating Congress with BJP, Asaduddin Owaisi said: “Whenever they (Congress) come to power, they become a replica of the BJP. When they are in opposition, they shed crocodile tears." The chargesheet against Khan was prepared on December 30 last year, 13 days after Ashok Gehlot led Congress government came to power in Rajasthan. The Chief Minister, however, said a fresh investigation will be conducted if anything wrong is found. Alwar Lynching Case: Pehlu Khan's Sons, Witnesses Attacked While Going to Testify.

"Only the charge sheet has been filed under our government. We will probe if there were any discrepancies in the investigation under the Vasundhara Raje government. A fresh investigation will be ordered if anything wrong is revealed," Gehlot said. There were two FIRs registered in the case. One was against the mob for beating Khan to death and second against him and his family for transporting cattle (cow) illegally out of the state.

Former BJP MLA Gyandev Ahuja said that Khan was a repeat offender. "Even his brothers, sons and other relatives were involved in the crime. In fact, all allegations made against cow vigilantes and the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders were wrong," he added. "Villagers caught Khan while he was smuggling cows. He died in police custody. Now the Congress should not take credit for his arrest as the Congress at that time helped the family get financial help," Ahuja said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 29, 2019 04:22 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).