In a significant development related to the Bilkis Bano case, ten out of the eleven convicts, who were ordered to return to jail by the Supreme Court, have requested more time to surrender. The pleas, filed by the convicts, cite reasons ranging from family weddings and dependent parents to the ongoing harvest season.
The Supreme Court had initially agreed to list the petitions filed by three convicts for Friday. Senior lawyer V Chitambaresh sought an early hearing, pointing out the looming deadline of January 21 for the men to surrender. Justice BV Nagarathna directed the registry to seek orders from Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud to constitute a bench, including Justice Ujjal Bhuiyan, to hear the petitions on Friday.
Later, two additional convicts, Pradeep Raman Lal Modia and Vipin Chandra Joshi, also sought more time to surrender. The Supreme Court, in a landmark verdict on January 8, had canceled the Gujarat government’s decision to grant remission to the 11 men involved in the gang rape of Bilkis Bano and the murder of seven members of her family during the 2002 Gujarat riots. The court directed the convicts, released on Independence Day in 2022, to surrender before January 22.
Among the convicts seeking an extension, Govindbhai Nai has requested four more weeks, highlighting his role as the sole caregiver for his 88-year-old bedridden father and 75-year-old mother. Ramesh Chandana and Mitesh Bhatt have asked for six more weeks, citing the need for time due to a son’s wedding and the ongoing harvest season, respectively.
Bilkis Bano, who was pregnant during the 2002 riots, survived a brutal attack by a mob, losing several family members. The convicts, who were accorded a hero’s welcome by the Gujarat government upon their release, have faced a reversal of remission following the Supreme Court’s verdict. The court emphasized the preservation of the rule of law and criticized the state’s exercise of power as an abuse of authority.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the convicts’ requests for additional time to surrender add another layer of complexity to a case that has garnered national attention for its historical and social implications.
Sources By Agencies
