Supreme Court angry in Bilkis Bano case, raised questions on release of convicts from Gujarat government
The Supreme Court has raised questions on the release of the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case. The court has asked whether these convicts were given the punishment after the death sentence i.e. life imprisonment. How was he released after serving 14 years in such a situation? Asked the Gujarat government why the rest of the prisoners did not get the relief of release after 14 years of imprisonment? In 2002, Bilkis Bano was gang-raped during the Godhra riots. 7 people of his family were murdered. 11 people were found guilty in this case.
The Supreme Court said that the jails are full of prisoners, so why were they not given a chance to reform. The Supreme Court has asked, on what basis the Jail Advisory Committee was formed for the convicts of Bilkis? Give the details of the advisory committee. The court asked the government that when the Godhra court did not conduct the trial, why was its opinion sought?
Next hearing will be on August 24
The hearing on the petition of Bilkis Bano in the Supreme Court will now be held on August 24. After the report of a committee of the Gujarat government, on 15 August 2022, all the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case were released prematurely. The convicts were sentenced to life imprisonment but were released last year under the amnesty policy of the Gujarat government. Some of the released people have spent 15 years and some have spent 18 years in jail.
First filed a petition in the High Court and then in the Supreme Court
Against the decision to release all the convicts prematurely, Bilkis Bano first took refuge in the High Court and then in the Supreme Court. He had filed a petition against the decision of the Gujarat government. Criticizing the Gujarat government’s move then, Bilkis had said that before taking ‘such a big and unjust decision’ no one asked about his safety and did not think about his welfare. He asked the Gujarat government to change this and give them the right to ‘live peacefully without fear’.
