Bilkis Bano case: SC asks Gujarat govt to reply to plea against convicts' release

The Supreme Court on Thursday (August 25) issued a notice to the Gujarat government to file a response on the petition that has challenged the remission of the 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana also sought a response from the Centre and asked the petitioners to make the 11 convicts party to the case.

The case will be next heard after two weeks.

Also read: Bilkis Bano case convicts ‘are Brahmins, good people’: BJP MLA Raulji

The remission and consequent release of 11 convicts on August 15 this year from the Godhra sub-jail under the Gujarat government’s remission policy has sparked a debate on the issue of such relief in heinous cases.

The top court on Tuesday had agreed to hear the petition filed by CPI(M)’s politburo member Subhashini Ali, journalist Revathy Laul and activist Roop Rekha Rani, stating that it will be heard in due course.

On March 3, 2002, a 21-year-old pregnant Bilkis Bano was gangraped while 14 members of her family including her three-year-old daughter were killed by a mob during the Godhra Riots in Gujarat.

While 11 of the accused were convicted by a CBI court in 2008, an order later upheld by the Bombay High Court, the Gujarat government on August 15 this year, evoked its remission and premature release policy to release them from jail.

They had completed more than 15 years in jail.

Also read: I am numb, says Bilkis Bano after release of gang rape, murder convicts

Reacting to the development, a dejected Bano had called it an “unjust decision” and had appealed to the Gujarat government to “undo this harm.”

“I trusted the highest courts in our land. I trusted the system, and I was learning slowly to live with my trauma. The release of these convicts has taken from me my peace and shaken my faith in justice,” she said.