Bilkis Bano case: In adherence to the deadline set by the Supreme Court, all 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case surrendered late Sunday night at Godhra sub-jail in Gujarat's Panchmahal district. Confirming the development, local Crime Branch inspector NL Desai stated, "All 11 convicts have surrendered before jail authorities late Sunday night. They reached jail before midnight of January 21, which was the deadline set for them to surrender."
Earlier on January 8, the apex court had nullified the remission granted by the Gujarat government to the 11 convicts in the high-profile case. The top court, while criticising the State for being "complicit" with an accused and abusing its discretion, ordered the convicts to return to jail within two weeks. The convicts were released prematurely on Independence Day in 2022.
SC rejects convicts' pleas
Despite pleas from the convicts for an extension, the Supreme Court rejected their requests and mandated that they surrender by Sunday, January 21. This development marks a pivotal moment in the legal proceedings surrounding the Bilkis Bano case, emphasizing the court's commitment to upholding justice and ensuring the enforcement of its directives.
The 11 convicts are Bakabhai Vohania, Bipin Chandra Joshi, Kesarbhai Vohania, Govind Nai, Jaswant Nai, Mitesh Bhatt, Pradeep Mordhiya, Radheshyam Shah, Rajubhai Soni, Ramesh Chandana and Shailesh Bhatt.
On August 15, 2022, the 11 convicts, who had spent 14 years in jail as part of a life sentence, were granted premature release after the Gujarat government accepted their remission applications in accordance with its 1992 policy, citing their 'good conduct' during imprisonment.
About the convicts
Hailing from Singvad and Randhikpur villages in Singvad taluka of Dahod district near Panchmahal, the 11 convicts in the case find themselves at the centre of a legal quagmire. Quashing the remission order, the Supreme Court stressed that the Gujarat government overstepped its jurisdiction in granting premature release, as the trial had taken place in Maharashtra.
Following the apex court's ruling, the convicts presented pleas seeking additional time to surrender, citing various reasons such as failing health, imminent surgery, a son's impending marriage, and the urgency of harvesting ripe crops. However, these applications were swiftly dismissed by the top court, accompanied by the observation that the reasons provided lacked merit.
Bilkis Bano case
In March 2002 during the post-Godhra riots, Bano was allegedly gang-raped and left to die with 14 members of her family, including her three-year-old daughter. She was five months pregnant when rioters attacked her family in Vadodara. Her three-year-old daughter was among the seven family members killed.
(With inputs from agencies)
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