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Bano: Bilkis Bano case: SC constitutes new bench to hear plea against remission to convicts, hearing on March 27 | India News
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court will hear on March 27 a series of appeal requests for reduced sentences for the 11 convicted in the case. Bilkis Bano The gang rape case also involved the killing of seven members of her family in Gujarat Riots 2002.
A bench of judges KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna will hear pleas from several political and civil rights activists, and a written petition by Bano.
On March 22, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud directed the matter to be placed on the urgent list and agreed to establish a new bench to hear the series of petitions.
On January 4, a bench consisting of judges Ajay Rastogi and Bela M Trivedi received the lawsuit filed by ban and other requests. However, Judge Trivedi refused to hear the case without giving any reason.
Bano moved the high court on November 30 last year challenging the state government’s “too early” release of 11 survivors, saying it had “shaken the conscience of society”.
In addition to the defense challenging the release of convicts, the gang rape survivor has also filed a separate petition asking for a review of the apex court order dated May 13. 2022 on the defense of a convict. The plea for review was subsequently denied in December of last year.
All 11 convicts were pardoned by the Gujarat government and released on 15 August last year.
The victim, in the pending written petition, said the state government passed a “machine order” that completely ignored the request of the law laid down by the Supreme Court.
“The early release of those convicted in the much-talked-about Bilkis Bano case has shaken the conscience of society and led to a number of incitements across the country,” she said.
Referring to past convictions, the defense said no mass pardon was allowed and furthermore, it was not possible to seek or grant such a relief as a matter of rights without considering the case of each person is convicted based on special events and their role. in crime.
“The current written petition opposes the decision of the state/central government to grant pardon to all 11 convicted and early release in one of the most heinous crimes against humanity. extremely inhumane violence and brutality,” it wrote.
The defense, which lays out the tiniest details of the crime, said Bano and her eldest daughters were “shocked by this sudden development”.
“As the whole country was celebrating its 76th Independence Day, all convicts were released early and were wreathed and congratulated in full public eye and candy in circulation,” it reads. .
The highest court seized the PILs filed by CPI(M) leader Subhashini Ali, Revati Laul, an independent journalist, Roop Rekha Verma, former vice chancellor of Lucknow University, and TMC MP Mahua Moitra against the release of convicts. .
Bano was 21 years old and five months pregnant when she was gang raped while on the run from riots that broke out following the Godhra train fire. Her three-year-old daughter was among seven family members killed.
The investigation of the case has been transferred to the CBI and the trial has been transferred by the High Court to the Maharashtra court.
A special CBI court in Mumbai on January 21, 2008 sentenced 11 people to life in prison for the gang rape of Bano and the murder of seven members of her family.
Their convictions were later upheld by the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court.
The 11 men convicted in the case were released from the Godhra sub-prison on August 15 last year, after the Gujarat government allowed them to be released under an exemption policy. They have completed more than 15 years in prison.
A bench of judges KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna will hear pleas from several political and civil rights activists, and a written petition by Bano.
On March 22, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud directed the matter to be placed on the urgent list and agreed to establish a new bench to hear the series of petitions.
On January 4, a bench consisting of judges Ajay Rastogi and Bela M Trivedi received the lawsuit filed by ban and other requests. However, Judge Trivedi refused to hear the case without giving any reason.
Bano moved the high court on November 30 last year challenging the state government’s “too early” release of 11 survivors, saying it had “shaken the conscience of society”.
In addition to the defense challenging the release of convicts, the gang rape survivor has also filed a separate petition asking for a review of the apex court order dated May 13. 2022 on the defense of a convict. The plea for review was subsequently denied in December of last year.
All 11 convicts were pardoned by the Gujarat government and released on 15 August last year.
The victim, in the pending written petition, said the state government passed a “machine order” that completely ignored the request of the law laid down by the Supreme Court.
“The early release of those convicted in the much-talked-about Bilkis Bano case has shaken the conscience of society and led to a number of incitements across the country,” she said.
Referring to past convictions, the defense said no mass pardon was allowed and furthermore, it was not possible to seek or grant such a relief as a matter of rights without considering the case of each person is convicted based on special events and their role. in crime.
“The current written petition opposes the decision of the state/central government to grant pardon to all 11 convicted and early release in one of the most heinous crimes against humanity. extremely inhumane violence and brutality,” it wrote.
The defense, which lays out the tiniest details of the crime, said Bano and her eldest daughters were “shocked by this sudden development”.
“As the whole country was celebrating its 76th Independence Day, all convicts were released early and were wreathed and congratulated in full public eye and candy in circulation,” it reads. .
The highest court seized the PILs filed by CPI(M) leader Subhashini Ali, Revati Laul, an independent journalist, Roop Rekha Verma, former vice chancellor of Lucknow University, and TMC MP Mahua Moitra against the release of convicts. .
Bano was 21 years old and five months pregnant when she was gang raped while on the run from riots that broke out following the Godhra train fire. Her three-year-old daughter was among seven family members killed.
The investigation of the case has been transferred to the CBI and the trial has been transferred by the High Court to the Maharashtra court.
A special CBI court in Mumbai on January 21, 2008 sentenced 11 people to life in prison for the gang rape of Bano and the murder of seven members of her family.
Their convictions were later upheld by the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court.
The 11 men convicted in the case were released from the Godhra sub-prison on August 15 last year, after the Gujarat government allowed them to be released under an exemption policy. They have completed more than 15 years in prison.
