In compliance with the Supreme Court-enforced deadline, all 11 convicts in the 2002 Bilkis Bano gangrape case surrendered at the Godhra sub-jail in Panchmahal district, Gujarat, on Sunday night. The surrender came after the apex court, on January 8, directed the convicts, who were prematurely released on Independence Day in 2022, to surrender before jail authorities by January 21. Despite their pleas for additional time citing various reasons, the court refused to grant an extension on Friday.
Local Crime Branch inspector NL Desai confirmed the surrender, stating, “All 11 convicts have surrendered before jail authorities late Sunday night,” as reported by news agency PTI.
The convicts, including Bakabhai Vohania, Bipin Chandra Joshi, Kesarbhai Vohania, Govind Nai, Jaswant Nai, Mitesh Bhatt, Pradeep Mordhiya, Radheshyam Shah, Rajubhai Soni, Ramesh Chandana, and Shailesh Bhatt, had cited health issues, impending surgery, family weddings, and harvest work as reasons to seek additional time for surrender.
The Supreme Court, however, rejected their requests, noting that the reasons provided had “no merit.” The 11 convicts were released prematurely in 2022 and were required to surrender by January 21, as ordered by the court.
The Bilkis Bano gangrape case gained national attention when Bilkis Bano, aged 21 and five months pregnant at the time, was assaulted during the communal riots following the Godhra train burning incident in February 2002. The surrender of the convicts marks a significant development in the legal proceedings related to this tragic incident.
Sources By Agencies
