11 Convicts In Bilkis Bano Case Surrender at Godhra Sub-Jail

All 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case surrendered at Godhra sub-jail in Gujarat's Panchmahal district on Sunday late night, adhering to the Supreme Court's specified deadline.

As per reports, the Central Jail, Godhra, confirmed the surrender, which occurred after the Supreme Court rejected the convicts' applications for an extension to surrender earlier on Friday.

These individuals had previously been granted remission by the Gujarat government for their involvement in the gangrape of Bilkis Bano and the murder of her family members during the 2002 Godhra riots. Despite being sentenced to life imprisonment, they were released in August 2022 after serving 14 years of their sentence.

In response to the Supreme Court's decision on January 8, which overturned the Gujarat government's remission order, the convicts were directed to surrender within two weeks. The court ruled that the Gujarat government lacked the authority to issue such remission orders, asserting that it fell under the jurisdiction of the Maharashtra government.

The Supreme Court's judgment stemmed from a petition filed by Bilkis Bano and others challenging the premature release of the 11 convicts. Earlier, the Gujarat government, in its affidavit, had justified the remission, citing the completion of a 14-year prison sentence and the good behavior of the convicts.

The case dates back to March 2002 during the post-Godhra riots when Bilkis Bano, five months pregnant, was allegedly gang-raped, and 14 members of her family, including her three-year-old daughter, were attacked in Vadodara.

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