Bilkis Bano Case: SC Dismisses Review Plea of 11 Convicts

The Supreme Court has dismissed the plea of Bilkis Bano seeking a review of its earlier order by which it had asked the Gujarat government to consider the plea for the remission of 11 convicts in a gangrape case under 1992 policy.

A bench of judges headed by Justice Ajay Rastogi dismissed the review plea of Bano who had challenged the apex court's May judgement which had held that remission of the convicts should be considered as per the policy existing at the time of conviction, ANI reported.

"I am directed to inform you that the review petition above mentioned filed in Supreme Court was dismissed by the court on December 13, 2022," read a communication sent to Bano's counsel Shobha Gupta by the Supreme Court's assistant registrar.

As per procedures, review pleas against top court judgements are decided in chambers by circulation by the judges who were part of the judgement under review.

She has filed a review plea against the May order of the Supreme Court which allowed the Gujarat government to apply the 1992 remission Rules which were in place in the State where the crime was actually committed. The trial of the case took place in Maharashtra, the report stated.

Bano, besides filing a review petition, also filed a plea challenging the premature release of 11 convicts, who had gang-raped her and murdered her family members during the 2002 Godhra riots.

Bilkis said that even being the victim of the crime, she had no clue about any such process of remission or premature release initiated.

Gujarat's remission order is a mechanical order of remission by completely ignoring the law's requirements as consistently laid down, the plea said.

Earlier, some PILs were filed seeking directions to revoke the remission granted to 11 convicts.

Also Read: Assam: Three Poachers Arrested In Digboi; Venison Meat, Rifle Seized