SC to rule on remission for Bilkis Bano rapists on Monday

New Delhi: The Supreme Court is scheduled to announce its verdict on Monday regarding a series of petitions challenging the remission granted to 11 convicts involved in the gangrape of Bilkis Bano and the murder of seven members of her family during the 2002 Gujarat riots.

The bench, comprising Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan, had reserved its verdict on October 12 after an 11-day hearing on the petitions, including the one filed by Ms Bano.

During the hearing in September, the apex court questioned whether convicts have a fundamental right to seek remission. It also pointed out that state governments should not be selective in granting remission, advocating for equal opportunities for reformation and reintegration into society for every prisoner.

As part of the case proceedings, the Supreme Court directed the Centre and the Gujarat government to submit the original records related to the remission of the 11 convicts by October 16.

Apart from Bilkis Bano's petition challenging the remission granted by the Gujarat government, several other public interest litigations, including those filed by CPM leader Subhashini Ali, independent journalist Revati Laul, and former vice-chancellor of Lucknow University Roop Rekha Verma, have contested the relief.

Bilkis Bano, 21 years old and five months pregnant at the time, was gangraped while fleeing the communal riots following the Godhra train-burning incident. Tragically, her three-year-old daughter was among the seven family members killed in the riots.

The remission order by the Gujarat government resulted in the release of all 11 convicts on August 15, 2022.