Bilkis Bano Case: SC cancels Gujarat order to grant remission to 11 convicts

Guwahati, Jan 8: In a major breakthrough, the Supreme Court on Monday quashed the Gujarat government's decision to release the 11 convicts who were involved in the spine-chilling gang rape case of Bilkis Bano and also murdered seven of her family members during the 2002 Gujarat riots.

The apex court mentioned that Gujarat is not ‘competent’ to decide on remission, as the rapists were convicted and sentenced in Maharashtra.

The bench directed all the convicts to return to jail and further sought fresh remission from the Maharashtra government.

It may be mentioned that Bilkis Bano, the victim, was gang raped when she was 21 years old and was five months pregnant during the incident.