One of the convicts in the Bilkis Bano gang rape case, Govindhbhai Nai, has moved the Supreme Court seeking four weeks time to surrender before the concerned jail authorities.The Supreme Court had on January 8 ordered Nai and ten other convicts to surrender before the jail authorities within two weeks.
Nai in his plea seeking extension has cited ill health as well domestic responsibilities to seek extension of time.As per the plea, Nai's father is bedridden and dependent on him.He has further submitted that he had to undergo an angiography recently and is yet to undergo another operation for the treatment ‘Hemorrhoids’.The eleven convicts (respondents) before the top court had been convicted for raping Bilkis Bano and murdering her family members during the Gujarat riots of 2002.On the eve of Independence day last year, on August 14, 2023, these convicts were released from prison early, without serving out their full imprisonment sentence.The Gujarat government granted the remission of their sentence following a May 2022 judgment in which the top court held that an application of remission should be considered in line with the policy of the State where the crime was committed (Gujarat, in this case) and not where the trial was held.Pursuant to that judgment, the Gujarat government had applied its remission policy to release the convicts though the trial in the case had taken place in Maharashtra.The Gujarat government's decision was challenged by various petitioners including Bano before the top court.
The Supreme Court bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan on January 8 quashed the remission granted to them by the Gujarat government. It concluded that the Gujarat government had no power to apply its remission policy to these eleven convicts.
It, therefore, directed all eleven to surrender within two weeks. Two more convicts have moved the Supreme Court seeking extension of time to surrender.Convict Ramesh Rupabhai Chandana has sought extension of time by another six weeks claiming he has to get his son married and fulfill the responsibility.
Convict Mitesh Chimanlal Bhat has also sought six weeks extension stating his winter produce is ready for harvest and he would prefer to complete the process and then surrender.
TAGS: Bilkis Bano case Supreme Court Govindhbhai Nai gang rape surrender extension ill health
