Bilkis Bano case: SC directs 11 convicts to surrender by Jan 21, denies time extension
THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK New Delhi, Jan 19: The petitions filed by all of the 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano…
Bilkis Bano/ File Photo (Image: Telegraph India)
THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
New Delhi, Jan 19: The petitions filed by all of the 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case, requesting more time to turn themselves in to jail officials, were dismissed by the Supreme Court on Friday.
As per the original deadline established by the court, the Supreme Court mandated that all 11 of the convicted individuals turn themselves in to the jail authorities by January 21.
The Supreme Court stated that the grounds presented by the convicts, seeking an extension of the surrender deadline, lacked merit.
“The reasons cited by applicants to seek postponement of surrender and report back to jail have no merit in as much as those reasons in no way prevent them from complying with our directions,” a bench consisting of Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan stated.
The court’s decision followed a number of convicts’ appeals for extensions of time to turn themselves in to jail officials, each with a different justification. Among the reasons offered by the prisoners were winter harvest, son’s wedding, and household duties.
After surrendering on Sunday, the convicts have the choice to submit a review petition to the Supreme Court. . Since the trial was conducted in the state of Maharashtra, they may also petition the Maharashtra government for a new remission.
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SC ruling in the case
The Supreme Court on January 8 overturned the Gujarat government’s decision to provide remission to 11 prisoners in the case of Bilkis Bano’s gangrape and the murder of seven of her family members during the state’s 2002 riots.
A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan stated that the Gujarat government was not the appropriate government to issue the remission order, holding the PIL contesting the remission to be maintainable.
While escaping the tragedy of the communal riots that erupted following the Godhra train-burning event, Bilkis Bano, then 21 years old and five months pregnant, was raped. One of the seven family members slain in the rioting was her three-year-old daughter.
On August 15, 2022, the Gujarat government awarded remission to all 11 of the convicted individuals, and they were all released.
Fraud act, facts suppressed: SC stated in its ruling
The top court ruled that key facts were suppressed and that “playing fraud” on the court was used to achieve the May 13, 2022, ruling, which ordered the Gujarat government to consider remission of the convict.
“By suppressing material facts and making misleading facts, a direction was sought by a convict to the state of Gujarat to consider remission. There was no direction from this court to the Gujarat government to consider remission. This is a fraud act,” the bench stated.
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