Bilkis Bano case: No relief for convicts; told to surrender by Jan 21

New Delhi, January 19: The Supreme Court on Friday declined the requests of the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case who sought an extension of time to surrender before the jail authorities. The 11 convicts had approached the apex court citing various reasons such as health issues, caretaking responsibilities for aged parents, impending crop harvest, and other concerns.

However, a Supreme Court Bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan dismissed the applications, asserting that the reasons provided did not merit a postponement of surrender. The deadline for the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case to surrender is January 21.

The convicts had received remission from the Gujarat Government for their involvement in the gangrape of Bilkis Bano and the murder of her family members during the 2002 Godhra riots. Despite being sentenced to life imprisonment, they were released in August 2022 after serving 14 years of their sentence.

Also Read | Why Ladakh, Kashmir warmer while plains shrouded in fog? Explained

Also Read | FASTag KYC: Check out step-by-step guide

Also Read | Strongest currencies: Kuwaiti dinar leads, India at...

Also Read | Coaching centres cannot enroll students below age of 16: Government new rules

Earlier, on January 8, the Supreme Court had nullified the Gujarat Government's order granting remission to the 11 convicts. The court directed them to surrender within two weeks, emphasising that the remission orders were not within the jurisdiction of the Gujarat Government, but the Maharashtra Government. The court deemed that the earlier judgement, which directed the Gujarat Government to consider remission as per the 1992 policy, was obtained through fraudulent means and suppression of material facts.

The Supreme Court's decision came in response to a petition filed by Bilkis Bano and others, challenging the premature release of the convicts. The court found that the convicts had not approached with clean hands, and the proceedings were marred by the suppression of facts, characterising it as a fraud perpetrated on the court.

In their defense, the Gujarat Government, in a previous affidavit, argued that the convicts had completed a 14-year prison sentence, and their behaviour was deemed satisfactory.

Bilkis Bano case

The Bilkis Bano case dates back to March 2002 during the post-Godhra riots when she was allegedly gang-raped, and her family, including her three-year-old daughter, was attacked in Vadodara. The court's decision marks a significant development in the legal proceedings surrounding the convicts and the Bilkis Bano case.

-

Join Whatsapp Channel