Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: In a setback for the Gujarat government, the Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a plea to remove critical remarks made in its order regarding the premature release of 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case. The convicts were convicted of gang-raping Bilkis Bano and killing her family during the 2002 Gujarat riots.
The Gujarat government had petitioned to remove the court’s comments, including that it had “acted in collusion” with the convicts. The government argued that the remarks were inappropriate and biased, claiming they did not reflect the record of the case.
However, a bench led by Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan disagreed, stating that there was no error apparent on the record and no merit in the review petition.
Background of the Case
In July, the Supreme Court had dismissed bail petitions filed by two convicts, citing contradictions in previous judgments regarding Gujarat’s early release policy. The court ordered that the 11 men, who had been prematurely released by the Gujarat government for “good behaviour,” must return to jail, stating that the release order lacked competence.
The convicts were released by Gujarat based on an outdated 1992 remission policy, despite a 2014 law barring the release of convicts in capital offense cases. The court also noted that only the state that tried the case, in this instance Maharashtra, had the authority to release the convicts.
Bilkis Bano’s Ordeal
Bilkis Bano was 21 years old and pregnant when she was gang-raped, and seven members of her family, including her three-year-old daughter, were brutally murdered during the communal violence that erupted after the Sabarmati Express fire in 2002.
The premature release of the convicts had triggered widespread public outrage, especially after the convicts were welcomed with garlands and sweets. The Supreme Court, in its landmark ruling, strongly condemned the decision and termed it an “abuse of power.”
