All 11 Convicts in Bilkis Bano Case Surrender in Godhra Jail, Complying with Supreme Court Deadline

Late on Sunday night, all eleven convicts in the Bilkis Bano case surrendered at the Godhra sub-jail in Gujarat’s Panchmahal district, complying with the Supreme Court’s set deadline. Officials from the Central Jail in Godhra confirmed the surrender. This development follows the Supreme Court’s dismissal of applications by the convicts seeking an extension to surrender. The convicts had earlier been granted remission by the Gujarat government in connection with 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. The Supreme Court, on January 8, nullified the Gujarat government’s remission order and directed the convicts to surrender within two weeks. The court emphasized that the Gujarat government lacked the authority to pass remission orders, with that power residing in the Maharashtra government.

The ruling came in response to a petition by Bilkis Bano and others challenging the premature release. The Gujarat government, in defense, argued that the convicts had completed a 14-year sentence, and their behavior was deemed good. The case dates back to March 2002 during the post-Godhra riots, where Bano was allegedly gang-raped and her family, including her three-year-old daughter, was attacked.