Bilkis Bano today moved to the Supreme Court challenging the premature release of the 11 convicts who were sentenced to life imprisonment for gang-raping her and murdering her family members during the 2002 Godhra riots.
On Wednesday, Bilkis Bano challenged the May order of the Supreme Court that allowed the Gujarat government to apply 1992 remission policy. She also filed a writ petition challenging the premature release of 11 rape convicts.
The matter was mentioned before Supreme Court Chief Justice DY Chandrachud for listing today. CJI Chandrachud said he examine the issue of whether both pleas can be heard together and if they can be heard before the same bench.
The 11 men convicted in the case walked out of the Godhra sub-jail on August 15 after the Gujarat government allowed their release under its remission policy. They had completed more than 15 years in jail.
The 11 convicts were sentenced to life imprisonment by a special CBI court in Mumbai on January 21, 2008 on charges of gang rape and murder of seven members of Bilkis Bano's family. Their conviction was later upheld by the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court.
Bilkis Bano was 21 years old and five-month pregnant when she was gang-raped while fleeing the riots that broke out after the Godhra train burning incident. Her three-year-old daughter was among the seven family members killed.