Bilkis Bano Case: All 11 Life Imprisonment Convicts Released Under Gujarat's Remission Policy

All 11 convicts sentenced to life for gang rape and murder in the Bilkis Bano case in 2002 were released. The Gujarat government allowed the release of the convicts under its remission policy.

13 people were found guilty of gang rape, participating in a criminal conspiracy, and murder in the Bilkis Bano case. Out of the 13 convicts, 11 of them received life sentences. They were released based on the recommendation of a panel set up to consider their release under Gujarat’s remission policy.

Panchmahal Collector Sujal Mayatra headed the panel formed on the instructions of the Supreme Court. The panel made a unanimous decision in favour of remission of the 11 life imprisonment convicts. The state government then sent orders for the release of the convicts.

Bilkis Bano approached the Supreme Court on November 30, challenging the premature release of the 11 men convicted of gangraping her and murdering her family in the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Bano filed a review plea against the May order of the Supreme Court which allowed the Gujarat government to apply the 1992 Remission Rules to release the convicts.

Bilkis Bano Case Convicts Released

In March 2002, Bilkis Bano was gang raped during the post-Godhra riots and her family members were murdered. Her family was assaulted by a mob during riots and Bilkis who was five months pregnant at the time was gang raped. Her family members were killed, including her daughter who was two-and-half years old.

Bilkis approached the local police officers and they repeatedly refused to register her case. They alleged a lack of evidence and threatened her with legal action if she pursued the case. She then approached the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and filed a plea in the Supreme Court in December 2003. The Supreme Court ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate the case.

Each suspect identified in Bilkis’ complaint was arrested by the CBI in January 2004. Four years later, the 13 convicts were found guilty and 11 of them received life sentences.

On May 15, 2022, one of the convicts who served more than 15 years in prison went before the Gujarat High Court and pleaded for an early release. The high court dismissed the plea and observed that the Maharashtra state government was the “appropriate government” to decide about his remission.

The convict then filed a plea with the Supreme Court, the court stated that since the crime was committed in Gujarat, the state government would have to make the decision. Under the Gujarat government’s remission policy, all of the 11 convicts were released from the Godhra sub-jail.

One journalist named Nupur Patel wrote on twitter, "Bilkis Bano was 21 years old, and 5 months pregnant when she was sexually assaulted in Ahmedabad while fleeing the violence that broke out post the Sabarmati train incident in Godhra. Her 3 children were killed. Today on India’s 75th Independence Day, her rapists roam free."

Many other women raised their voices on Twitter against the Bilkis Bano case judgement.

Suggested Reading: Bilkis Bano Case: SC Orders Rs 50 Lakh Compensation Within Two Weeks