New Delhi : The Supreme Court will soon hear CPI(M) appeal challenging remissions granted by the Gujarat government to the convicts of Bilkis Bano case involving gangrape and multiple murders. The appeal was filed by Polit Bureau member Subahini Ali, Trinamool Congress MP Mahuva Moyu, journlist Revati Laul,and activist Roop Rekha Varma.
The remission story began with one of the Gujarat riot culprits urging with the Supreme Court to allow him freedom, now that he had completed 15 years of imprisonment. The apex court in turn directed the State government to deal with the request and as result, 11 convicts serving sentences in that case were released on 15 August.
Backdrop : The horrific crime dates back to 2002. Bilkis Banu was 21 years and five-months pregnant at that time. A violent mob descended on her household, gangraped her, killed her 3-year-old daughter Saleha and killed seven other members of her family, just as they were all about to flee amid the ill-famed post-Godhra riots in Gujarat. The CBI investigated the crimes and on 21st January of 2008, all culprits were sentenced to life imprisonment. Though the convicts appealed later, the Bombay High Court upheld the sentencing.
