JAIPUR: The judicial verdict in the Rakbar Khan lynching case has once again invited criticism for the state government, which had assured a tough stance against mob lynching, especially those with a religious connection.
In the previous Pehlu Khan mob lynching case from the same district of Alwar, the court had acquitted all the six accused in 2019. In Rakbar’s case, the court on Thursday handed out a seven-year jail term to four accused, which the victim’s community leaders termed as mild punishment. They said they would appeal for at least life imprisonment for the convicts.
The four accused in the Rakbar Khan lynching case were convicted for culpable homicide as the investigation agencies could not adduce sufficient evidence to establish murder and criminal conspiracy behind the lynching. Sources said the police investigation had major lapses from the beginning when Rakbar was attacked in Alwar on July 20, 2018. “The police probe was shoddy. Ramgarh police station SHO was already transferred, and an ASI was posted as in-charge. He did not record Rakbar’s statements properly. The ASI should have spoken with Rakbar to jot down the description of the people who attacked him,” said an official familiar with the trial in this case.
“The cops eventually rushed Rakbar to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced brought dead. He was noted down in documents as an unidentified person even though the cops had established his identity,” added the official.
The court, on its part, also blasted the ASI for not taking Rakbar to a hospital on time. “Multiple senior officials took over the probe on different occasions. There were many mistakes, but the prosecution still managed to argue before the court to ensure that the accused got convicted,” the official said.
The government had roped in seasoned lawyers after the fallout from the acquittal in Pehlu Khan’s case. Prosecution counsel Nasir Ali Naqvi regularly attended hearings in the Alwar court since 2021.
Rakbar’s wife Asmina lamented that the accused did not get strict punishment. “The main accused, Naval Kishore, has been let off. Others also did not get adequate punishment,” she said, adding that it has been an arduous fight for justice.
In the previous Pehlu Khan mob lynching case from the same district of Alwar, the court had acquitted all the six accused in 2019. In Rakbar’s case, the court on Thursday handed out a seven-year jail term to four accused, which the victim’s community leaders termed as mild punishment. They said they would appeal for at least life imprisonment for the convicts.
The four accused in the Rakbar Khan lynching case were convicted for culpable homicide as the investigation agencies could not adduce sufficient evidence to establish murder and criminal conspiracy behind the lynching. Sources said the police investigation had major lapses from the beginning when Rakbar was attacked in Alwar on July 20, 2018. “The police probe was shoddy. Ramgarh police station SHO was already transferred, and an ASI was posted as in-charge. He did not record Rakbar’s statements properly. The ASI should have spoken with Rakbar to jot down the description of the people who attacked him,” said an official familiar with the trial in this case.
“The cops eventually rushed Rakbar to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced brought dead. He was noted down in documents as an unidentified person even though the cops had established his identity,” added the official.
The court, on its part, also blasted the ASI for not taking Rakbar to a hospital on time. “Multiple senior officials took over the probe on different occasions. There were many mistakes, but the prosecution still managed to argue before the court to ensure that the accused got convicted,” the official said.
The government had roped in seasoned lawyers after the fallout from the acquittal in Pehlu Khan’s case. Prosecution counsel Nasir Ali Naqvi regularly attended hearings in the Alwar court since 2021.
Rakbar’s wife Asmina lamented that the accused did not get strict punishment. “The main accused, Naval Kishore, has been let off. Others also did not get adequate punishment,” she said, adding that it has been an arduous fight for justice.
