The Gujarat government on Monday filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court opposing the pleas that challenged the grounds on which the 11 convicts involved in the Bilkis Bano rape case were granted remission earlier this year.
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.
It also questioned the locus standi of the petitioner while stating that pleas challenging remission are a sheer misuse of public interest litigation jurisdiction.
This comes after the 11 rape and murder convicts in the Bilkis Bano case were set 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”.
In the month of March, during the ongoing riots of 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.
Following the incident, a special CBI court in Mumbai sentenced the 11 convicts to life imprisonment for the rape and murder in the Bilkis Bano case. However, after serving more than 15 years in prison, one of them approached the Supreme Court with a plea for his premature release.
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