Bilkis Bano Case: Some Rapists Are 'Brahmins, Have Good Sanskar', Says Gujarat BJP MLA
C K Raulji, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Godhra, stated that he does not know whether the inmates, who were freed after more than 15 years in prison, were engaged in the crime.
Some of the prisoners in the Bilkis Bano case from the 2002 Gujarat violence are "Brahmins" with good 'sanskaar' or values, and it is probable they were fixed because of their prior family activities, according to a BJP MLA who was part of the state government panel that suggested remission for all 11 men found guilty, news agency PTI reported.
C K Raulji, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Godhra, stated that he does not know whether the inmates, who were freed after more than 15 years in prison, were engaged in the crime.
All 11 prisoners condemned to life in prison in the 2002 case of Bilkis Bano's gang rape and murder of her seven family members amid communal riots walked out of the Godhra sub-jail on August 15 after the BJP administration in Gujarat authorised their release under its remission policy.
“We took the decision on the basis of a Supreme Court order. We were asked to look at their (convicts’) behaviour and decide (on their early release),” Raulji informed a news portal, PTI reported.
“We asked the jailer and learnt that their behaviour was good in the prison…also (some of the convicts) are Brahmins. They have good ‘sanskaar’ (values),” said the ruling party legislator.
The Gujarat administration 's decision has drawn severe criticism from opposition parties, who claim it violates Centre directives.
Raulji, on the other hand, believes the criminals were set up.
“It is possible that they (the convicts) might have been fixed in the case due to their past family activities. When such riots take place it happens that those who are not involved are named. But I don’t know if they committed the crime, we decided (on remission) based on their behaviour,” he said.
When asked about the 11 men's reception following their release from jail, he stated that they had not been welcomed.
The Gujarat government freed the 11 offenders after the Supreme Court urged it to consider their request for relief under the state's remission policy, which was implemented in 1992.
On January 21, 2008, a special CBI court in Mumbai convicted all 11 defendants in the case to life imprisonment for the death of seven family members of Bilkis Bano, a riot survivor, and her gang rape. The Bombay High Court eventually affirmed their conviction.
After serving more than 15 years in jail, one of the inmates petitioned the Supreme Court for an early release.
The Supreme Court had instructed the Gujarat government to investigate the possibility of remission of his sentence under its 1992 policy based on the date of his conviction. Following that, the government organised a committee that decided to free all of the criminals.
On March 3, 2002, a crowd attacked Bilkis Bano's family in Randhikpur village, Limkheda taluka, Dahod district. During the riots sparked by the Godhra train burning event, Bilkis, who was five months pregnant at the time, was gang raped and seven members of her family were slain.
(With Inputs From PTI)
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