2002 Gujarat riots: Bilkis Bano files plea in SC against release of her rapists | India News
NEW DELHI: Bilkis Bano on Wednesday approached the Supreme Court, challenging the remission of sentence and premature release of 11 convicts who had gangraped her and murdered her family members during the 2002 Godhra riots. Bano filed a review plea against the May order of the SC which allowed the Gujarat government to apply the 1992 Remission Policy.
The SC is reportedly considering listing the fresh plea of Bilkis Bano.
As Bano’s lawyer mentioned the matter before Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud for listing, he said he will examine the issue whether both the pleas can be heard together and before the same bench.
The men, who were sentenced to life imprisonment, were released from Godhra sub-jail on August 15 after the Gujarat government allowed their release under its remission policy prevalent in the state at the time of their conviction in 2008.
As the matter reached the SC, the Gujarat government told the apex court on October 17 that the men were granted early release as they had served 15 years of their life sentence and their “behaviour was found to be good”.
In an affidavit, the Gujarat government said the decision was taken as per a 1992 remission policy issued by the apex court and not “under a circular governing grant of remission to prisoners as part of the celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”.
The SC is reportedly considering listing the fresh plea of Bilkis Bano.
As Bano’s lawyer mentioned the matter before Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud for listing, he said he will examine the issue whether both the pleas can be heard together and before the same bench.
The men, who were sentenced to life imprisonment, were released from Godhra sub-jail on August 15 after the Gujarat government allowed their release under its remission policy prevalent in the state at the time of their conviction in 2008.
As the matter reached the SC, the Gujarat government told the apex court on October 17 that the men were granted early release as they had served 15 years of their life sentence and their “behaviour was found to be good”.
In an affidavit, the Gujarat government said the decision was taken as per a 1992 remission policy issued by the apex court and not “under a circular governing grant of remission to prisoners as part of the celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”.
Bano was gangraped in Gujarat’s Randhikpur village and seven members of her family, including her three-year-old daughter, were killed on March 3, 2002, during the riots that broke out after the Godhra train-burning incident. She was 21 years old and five months pregnant at the time.
