Bilkis Bano case | SC issues notice on petition challenging remission granted to all 11 convicts by Gujarat government

The matter will heard by the apex court after two weeks

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice on a petition challenging the remission granted by the Gujarat government to 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case. The matter will heard by the apex court after two weeks.

A special three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana heard on Thursday heard the petition. The Bench also had Justices Ajay Rastogi and Vikram Nath.

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The Chief Justice had on Tuesday agreed to list the petition urgently when it was mentioned in court for early hearing by advocate Aparna Bhat.

“We are challenging the remission. Fourteen people were killed and a pregnant woman was assaulted,” senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who accompanied Ms. Bhat for the mentioning on Tuesday, had highlighted the gravity of the crime.

The Gujarat government had relied on its remission policy of 1992 to approve the convicts’ applications for remission of the sentence and not the current policy of 2014.

In May 2022, the apex court had directed the Gujarat government to consider the application of one of the convicts, Radheshyam Bhagwandas Shah @ Lala Vakil, for pre­mature release in terms of its remission policy of July 9, 1992. The 1992 policy was prevalent on the date of conviction.