On August 15, all the 11 convicts sentenced to life imprisonment in the 2002 case of Bilkis Bano’s gang rape and murder of her seven family members during the riots walked out of the Godhra sub-jail.(Photo:PTI File)
The Gujarat Government said that the remission was granted on grounds of the good conduct of the convicts who had served 14 years in prison
The Gujarat government on Monday filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court defending its decision to grant remission to the 11 convicts involved in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case.
Defending its stance, the Gujarat Government said that the remission was granted after considering the opinions given by all in the remission board and on grounds of the good conduct of the convicts who had served 14 years in prison.
“The state has considered the proposals under a policy of 1992 as directed by this Hon’ble Court and not granted under the circular governing grant of remission to prisoners as part of a celebration of “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.” the Gujarat government noted.
The 11 rape and murder convicts had walked free on August 15 hours after PM Modi concluded his independence day speech. The decision was, however, contested by Bilkis Bano who urged the Gujarat government to “undo the harm” and give her back the “right to live without fear and in peace”.
On March 3, 2002, Bilkis Bano along with her family was attacked by a mob at Randhikpur village in Limkheda taluka of Dahod. A five-month pregnant Bano was gang-raped and seven members of her family were killed.
A special CBI court in Mumbai had sentenced the 11 convicts to life imprisonment for the rape and murder in the Bilkis Bano case. The convicts served more than 15 years in prison, after which one of them approached the Supreme Court with a plea for his premature release.
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