Bilkis Bano Case: Five Convicts Seek Extended Surrender Deadline, Appeal to Supreme Court

Five of the 11 convicts involved in the Bilkis Bano case, who were initially released early but subsequently ordered back to jail by the Supreme Court, are seeking additional time to surrender. The reasons cited for the extension range from family weddings and dependent parents to the ongoing harvest season.

Sipreme Court on Bilkis Bano case

The Supreme Court had agreed to consider the petitions filed by three of the convicts on Friday, responding to senior lawyer V Chitambaresh’s request for an expedited hearing due to the January 21 surrender deadline. Justice BV Nagarathna directed the registry to seek orders from Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud to form a bench with Justice Ujjal Bhuiyan for the petitions’ hearing.

Later, two other convicts, Pradeep Raman Lal Modia and Vipin Chandra Joshi, also sought more time before surrendering.

In a landmark ruling on January 8, the Supreme Court nullified the Gujarat government’s decision to grant remission to the 11 men convicted of gang-raping Bilkis Bano and murdering seven members of her family during the 2002 Gujarat riots. The court ordered the released convicts to surrender by January 22.

Convict Govindbhai Nai has requested an additional four weeks, while Ramesh Chandana and Mitesh Bhatt are seeking six more weeks to comply. Nai, in his petition, emphasized his role as the sole caregiver for his 88-year-old bedridden father and 75-year-old mother, who are entirely dependent on him, along with his two children. He also cited his own health issues, including asthma and recent surgery, and claimed compliance with the terms of his release.

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Ramesh Chandana appealed for time due to his son’s upcoming wedding, and Mitesh Bhatt mentioned the ongoing harvest season as the reason for the delay.

Bilkis Bano, now 21, was pregnant when her family was attacked during the 2002 riots, and she and two of her children were the sole survivors of the horrific incident. Upon their release, the convicts were accorded a hero’s welcome by the Gujarat government. The Supreme Court asserted that the state of Gujarat lacked the authority to release the men, condemning it as an abuse and usurpation of power. The court emphasized the need to preserve the rule of law regardless of the potential consequences.