SC Grills Gujarat Govt Over Bilkis Bano Convicts’ Release Policy: Calls for Transparency, Equality

New Delhi, August 18, 2023: In a fiery hearing, the Supreme Court questioned the Gujarat government’s decision to prematurely release the men convicted in the heinous Bilkis Bano rape case and the massacre of her family during the 2002 riots.

Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan raised significant concerns, asserting that the state was on “thin ice” regarding the untimely release of these convicts.

The judges criticized the selective application of the policy that allows the release of hardened criminals after 14 years of imprisonment, asking, “Why are our prisons overflowing? Give us data.” They inquired about the basis of the formation of the Jail Advisory Committee and the rationale behind seeking the Godhra court’s opinion, even though the trial wasn’t conducted there.

Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the Gujarat government, struggled to provide satisfactory answers to the court’s probing questions. He cited an ongoing case in the Supreme Court that requires all states to furnish detailed information about such matters.

The 11 convicts, released last year on Independence Day, were sentenced by a Maharashtra court due to concerns over a fair trial in Gujarat. The Supreme Court questioned the basis of an earlier order and highlighted the decision’s limited scope, while Bilkis Bano’s lawyer expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s move.

Bilkis Bano’s plea, seeking clarity on the convicts’ release, is set to be heard on August 24, amidst growing concerns about the fairness of the process.