The Supreme Court is set to announce its verdict on Monday regarding petitions challenging the remission granted to 11 convicts in the infamous gangrape case of Bilkis Bano and the murder of seven of her family members during the 2002 Gujarat riots.
The bench, consisting of Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan, concluded hearings on October 12, 2022, and reserved its judgment. Bilkis Bano herself filed a petition contesting the remission granted by the Gujarat government to the convicts. Other public interest litigations (PILs) challenging the relief were filed by individuals, including CPI(M) leader Subhashini Ali, journalist Revati Laul, and former Lucknow University vice-chancellor Roop Rekha Verma. TMC leader Mahua Moitra also submitted a PIL against the remission and premature release.
The Supreme Court, during earlier proceedings in September, questioned whether convicts possess a fundamental right to seek remission. The court emphasized that state governments should apply remission uniformly to all eligible convicts, ensuring equal opportunities for reform and reintegration into society.
The apex court, while reserving judgment, directed the Centre and the Gujarat government to provide the original records related to the convicts’ remission by October 16, 2022. Bilkis Bano, aged 21 and pregnant at the time, was gang-raped during the 2002 Gujarat riots, and her three-year-old daughter was among the seven family members killed. The Gujarat government granted remission to all 11 convicts, leading to their release on August 15, 2022.
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