Bilkis Bano on Wednesday reached the Supreme Court challenging the remission of the 11 convicts who walked free on August 15 this year. The Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, said he will look into the plea after her lawyer mentioned the matter today before the CJI. The early release of the 11 convicts who were sentenced to life imprisonment in the 2002 gangrape case drew nationwide criticism and several petitions questioning the decision of the Gujarat government were filed in the top court. As the cases are being heard, Bilkis Bano’s lawyer on Wednesday filed a writ petition challenging the remission of the sentence.
During the 2002 riots, 11 men were convicted of gang-raping Bilkis Bano and murdering seven of her family members.
Earlier, as the Supreme Court heard the petitions filed against the remission, the Gujarat government said the remission was granted to them because of their ‘good behavior.”
The Gujarat government mentioned that the decision was approved by the Centre. However, its affidavit revealed that the CBI and the presiding judge of the trial court objected to the release of the convicts as their offence was grave and heinous.
According to the affidavit, one of the convicts was booked for sexual harassment of a woman while on parole in 2020.
Ahead of the Gujarat Assembly Election 2022, the issue was at the centre of a political row after BJP MLA CK Raulji threw his weight behind Bilkis Bano rapists and said some of the convicts were Brahmins with good ‘Sanskara’.
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