CBI, Special Court Opposed Premature Release Of Bilkis Bano Case Convicts
NDTV
The Gujarat government made the revelation in the Bilkis Bano case in an affidavit in the Supreme Court.
The premature release of the 11 men convicted for the gang rape of Bilkis Bano and killing of her family during the 2002 Gujarat riots, was opposed by a Special Judge and the prosecuting agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation. This was revealed today in the affidavit filed by the Gujarat government in the Supreme Court, which had asked the state for the entire records. The top court is hearing three petitions challenging the release of the men.
The documents revealed that in March 2021, Special Judge Anand L Yawalkar wrote to the Superintendent of the Godhra sub-jail on the "common opinion on premature release (of the convicts)", saying it would be the laws of Maharashtra and not Gujarat that would be applicable to the convicts, since the case was heard there.
"In this case all convicted accused were found guilty for rape and murder of innocent people. That the accused had no enmity or any relation with the victim. The crime was committed only on the ground that the victims belongs to a particular religion. In this case even minor children and pregnant woman were not spared. This is worst form of hate crime and crime against the humanity. It affects the conscious of society. Aggrieved of this crime is society at large (sic)," the judge further wrote.
When a case falls under multiple categories, the "highest imprisonment has to be considered", he said.
