Bilkis Bano Case: 3 Convicts Move Supreme Court Asking More Time To Surrender

The convicts in the Bilkis Bano case moved to the Supreme Court on Thursday, requesting an extension of time to surrender. It was in last week, the Supreme Court cancelled the Gujarat government’s decision to release 11 convicts who gangraped Bilkis Bano and was involved in the murder of 14 members of her family during 2002 Gujarat riots.

The apex court had asked the convicts to surrender before jail by January 22. Three convicts, in their petition, cited reasons including family weddings, dependent parents, and harvest season for urging more time.

The matter concerning the extension of time was mentioned before a bench of Justices B V Nagarathana and Sanjay Karol on Thursday. The bench then asked the Registry to seek orders from CJI DY Chandrachud. CJI will form a bench with Justice Ujjal Bhuiyan on Friday to take up the petitions.

“It is stated by three respondents that applications have been filed for an extension of time to surrender and report to jail. Since the bench has to be reconstituted, registry to seek orders from CJI for reconstitution of the bench since time expires on Sunday,” PTI quotes as the bench is saying.

Bilkis Bano was 21-year-old and five months pregnant when she was gang-raped and her three-year-old daughter was among the 14 family members who have killed.

In 2008, a trial court in Mumbai had sentenced 11 convicts for life. The Gujarat government on August 15, 2022 released the 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case under its 1992 remission and premature release policy.

Meanwhile, Bilkis Bano in her submission stated that the state granted remission without considering the nature of the crime and the convicts do not deserve any leniency as they were not at all remorseful.

The 11 prematurely released convicts are Jaswant Nai, Govind Nai, Shailesh Bhatt, Radhyesham Shah, Bipin Chandra Joshi, Kesarbhai Vohania, Pradeep Mordhiya, Bakabhai Vohania, Rajubhai Soni, Mitesh Bhatt, and Ramesh Chandana.