The Supreme Court has demanded files on the remission of sentence for 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano gang-rape case. Both the Gujarat government and the central government are expected to challenge the order, citing ‘privilege’ and reluctance to produce the documents. Ms Bano, who challenged the release of the convicts last year, stated that the remission of their sentence had ‘shaken the conscience of society.’ The Supreme Court expressed concern over the remission granted to the convicts and questioned whether the government applied its mind to the matter. The court stressed that the Bilkis Bano case was not comparable to standard murder cases and that unequal crimes cannot be treated equally.
The court warned that if the government fails to provide reasons for the remission, the court will draw its own conclusions. The Supreme Court has scheduled the hearing of requests challenging the remission for May 2, and ordered all convicts who have not been served notice to reply.
The Bilkis Bano gang-rape case and the murder of her family members were referred to as a ‘horrendous’ act by the Supreme Court. The court questioned whether uniform standards, as applied in other murder cases, were considered in the granting of remission to the 11 convicts. One of the 11 men who was granted remission was seen sharing a stage with a BJP MP and an MLA at a government programme in Gujarat.
Ms Bano was five months pregnant when she was gang-raped while fleeing the Gujarat riots in 2002. The Supreme Court has called for a close examination of the case and the remission granted to the convicts, warning that if they do not show their reasons for granting the remission, the court will draw its own conclusions.
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