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Bilkis Bano Case: All 11 Life Imprisonment Convicts Walk Out Of Godhra Jail Under Gujarat Remission Policy

The Sabarmati Express coach was burned down on February 27, 2002, in which 59 'karsevaks' were killed. After violence erupted in the area, Bilkis Bano, who was five months pregnant, fled her village with her toddler daughter and 15 others.

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All the 11 convicts sentenced to life imprisonment for the 2002 post-Godhra, Bilkis Bano gang rape and murder of seven of her family members walked out of Godhra sub-jail on Monday (August 15) under the Gujarat government's remission policy.

Mumbai's special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court ruled the 11 accused on January 21, 2008, to life imprisonment following the charge of gang rape and murder of seven family members of Bilkis Bano. Later, the Bombay High Court upheld their conviction.

Premature Release Of Convicts

These 11 indicted had served over 15 years in jail. Later, one of them approached the Supreme Court with a plea for his premature release.

The top court had directed the Gujarat government to look into the remission of his sentence, following which the state government established a committee stated Sujal Mayatra, the Panchmahals Collector who headed the panel.

According to Business Standard, "A committee formed a few months back took a unanimous decision in favour of remission of all the 11 convicts in the case. The recommendation was sent to the state government, and yesterday we received the orders for their release," said Mayatra.

One Of The Inmate Filed The Plea

The 11 inmates who were granted premature release are Bakabhai Vohania, Bipin Chandra Joshi, Govindbhai Nai, Jaswantbhai Nai, Kesarbhai Vohania, Mitesh Bhatt, Pradeep Mordhiya, Radhesham Shah, Rajubhai Soni, Ramesh Chandana and Shailesh Bhatt.

One of them, Radheshyam Shah, had approached the Gujarat High Court requesting remission of the judgement under sections 432 and 433 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The state HC dismissed his plea observing that the "appropriate government" shall decide about his remission is Maharashtra and not Gujarat.

Shah then filed a plea in the SC pleading that he had been in prison for 15 years and four months, serving his sentence without remission as of April 1, 2022. The apex court stated in its order dated May 13 that since the crime was committed in Gujarat, the same state was the appropriate government to examine the convict's application.

According to Hindustan Times, the SC ordered the Gujarat government to consider the application for premature release in terms of the policy dated July 9, 1992. The court directed that government may decide within two months.

What Is The Bilkis Bano Case?

The Sabarmati Express coach was burned down on February 27, 2002, in which 59 'karsevaks' were killed. Following the incident, violence erupted in the area; Bilkis Bano, who was five months pregnant, then fled her village with her toddler daughter and 15 others.

They took shelter in a field on March 3 when a mob of 20-30 people armed with sticks, sickles and swords attacked them, and Bano was gang raped; while her seven family members were killed, six other members managed to run away.

Given the outrage over the incident, the SC ordered a CBI probe, and the accused were arrested in 2004. The special CBI court sentenced the 11 accused to life imprisonment on the charge of Bilkis Bano's gang rape and murder of seven members of her family.

Also Read: Savarkar Poster Row: Sec 144 Imposed As Tension Prevails In Karnataka's Shivamogga, 4 Held After Man Stabbed

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Writer : Shiva Chaudhary
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Creatives : Shiva Chaudhary

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