Bilkis Bano case: SC asks Gujarat govt to be ready with convicts’ remission files; hearing on April 18

Bilkis was gang-raped and her three-year-old daughter was among 14 people killed by a mob during the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Bilkis Bano was 21 years old and five months pregnant when she was gangraped while fleeing the riots that broke out after the Godhra train burning incident. (Express photo by Bhupendra Rana)

The Supreme Court Monday sought a response from the Centre, Gujarat government, and others on a plea against the early release of convicts in the Bilkis Bano gang-rape case.

A bench of Justices K M Joseph and B V Nagarathna said there is a gamut of issues involved and it needs to hear the matter in detail. The apex court directed the Gujarat government to be ready on April 18 with relevant documents granting remission to the 11 convicts of the case, news agency PTI reported.

The bench also observed that it would not be overwhelmed by emotions in the case and would only go by the law.

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Bilkis was gang-raped and her three-year-old daughter was among 14 people killed by a mob on March 3, 2002, in the Limkheda taluka of Gujarat’s Dahod district during the riots. The 11 convicts were released on August 15 last year.

Also Read | ‘These monsters should be in jail’: Mahua Moitra, K Kavitha slam BJP leaders for sharing stage with Bilkis Bano rape case convict

Bano had moved the apex court on November 30 last year challenging the “premature” release of 11 lifers by the state government, saying it has “shaken the conscience of society”.

After advocate Shobha Gupta, representing Bano, on March 22, told a bench presided by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud that Justice Trivedi had recused from hearing the case, a new bench of the Supreme Court was formed to hear the petitions challenging the early release of the convicts.

No reason had been given for Justice Trivedi’s recusal. She was law secretary to the Gujarat government from 2004 to 2006.

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