The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Gujarat government and the Center regarding the release of 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano gang rape case in India. On August 15, 2022, the Gujarat government released these 11 convicts under the amnesty scheme.

The Gujarat government is facing criticism over the release of gangrape convicts.

While hearing the matter, the Supreme Court said, "The question is whether these convicts can be pardoned or not under the Gujarat government. We also have to see whether due consideration was given to them while condoning them or not."

The Supreme Court also directed the 11 convicts to form a party in this case.

Issuing the notice in this matter, the Supreme Court decided to hear it after two weeks.

A division bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramanna said, "We are issuing notice to the Gujarat government and the Centre. We are seeking answers from them. It will be heard after two weeks.''

Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioners, demanded from the court that the release of the convicts should be canceled immediately and the Gujarat government's decision should be set aside.

He said that during the Gujarat riots a large number of people were killed and there was an exodus of Muslims. Kapil Sibal said that the culprits of gangrape of a pregnant woman should not have got pardon.

Many opposition parties have criticized the Gujarat government in this matter. Many people had filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the release of these 11 convicts. These include Left leader Subhasini Ali and TMC MP Mahua Moitra.

On 3 March 2002, during the Gujarat riots, Bilkis Bano was raped and 14 members of his family were killed. Among the dead was Bilkis Bano's three-year-old daughter.

The case was investigated by the CBI after which in 2008 the Bombay Sessions Court sentenced 11 people to life imprisonment. On August 15, 2022, these 11 prisoners, who were serving their sentences in Godhra Jail, were released as per the policy of pardon of the Gujarat government.

What did the husband of Bilkis say when the convicts were released?

Bilkis Bano's husband Yakub Rasool, while talking to the Indian Express after the release of the 11 convicts, had said, "The condition in which we have been released has no power to feel anything."

Yakub Rasool had said, "The battle we had been fighting for years fell apart in an instant. The life sentence given by the court was reduced arbitrarily. I had never even heard of this process of commuting punishment.''

Yakub Rasool lives in Deogarh Baria of Dahod in Gujarat.

Says Rasool, "What happened in 2002 was horrifying. The brutality that happened to Bilquis was unimaginable. He saw the murder of his daughter in front of his eyes. As a mother, as a woman and as a human, she faced all the barbarism. What could be worse than that?"

He had said, "Now all we want is to leave us alone. We are afraid about our safety but now do not have the courage and time to do anything.''

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