Bilkis Bano Case: Supreme Court To Deliver Verdict On Convict Release Today
The Supreme Court will pronounce verdict today on a batch of petitions challenging the premature release of 11 men convicted in the Bilkis Bano case. The men are accused of gang rape killing 14 members of her family during the 2002 Gujarat riot. The petition also includes the one filed by Bilkis Bano.
A bench comprising Justice BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan will announce the verdict today, with Justice Nagarathna penning the judgment, according to the Supreme Court’s cause list.
After a comprehensive 11-day hearing, the court has reserved its judgment on October 12 last year. The case concerns the early release of 11 convicts who had committed heinous crimes towards Bilkis and her family.
During the hearing the central and the Gujarat government defended their action by stating that they followed reformative theory. They also stated that the convicts did not commit a “rarest-of-rare crime” and they should be given a chance to reform and reintegrate in society.
However, the bench dismissing the argument asked how the remission policy could be implemented to only a certain prisoners while many others, who fulfilled the criteria of remission policy, continues in jail. The court also noted that the convicts were allowed to come out on parole multiple times and observed that some prisoners were more privileged than others, reports Times of India.
The Gujarat government granted a remission of their sentence following a May 2022 judgment.
Meanwhile, Bilkis 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.
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.
Soon after the release of the convicts, several politicians and social activists filed a batch of petition at apex court. Bilkis moved to apex court in November.
The Supreme Court heard a batch of petitions, including one from Bilkis Bano herself, along with CPI(M) leader Subhashini Ali, journalist Revati Laul, and suspended TMC MP Mahua Moitra.
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, says Bar and Bench.
The convicts submitted in the court that they have suffered a lot and have spent more than 14 years in jail and should be allowed to re-unite with the family. Pleading that their freedom should not be “snatched”, requested the court to take a reformative approach and to be given a chance to reform themselves.
