The Supreme Court on Monday nullified the Gujarat government's decision to grant early release to 11 men convicted of gang-raping Bilkis Bano and murdering seven of her family members during the 2002 Gujarat riots.
Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan ruled that a public interest lawsuit challenging the release was valid, stating that the state government lacked the authority to issue the release order.
At the time, Bilkis Bano was 21 years old and five months pregnant when she was raped while fleeing the communal riots sparked by the Godhra train burning. Her three-year-old daughter was among the seven family members murdered during the riots.
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The 11 convicts had been granted release by the Gujarat government on August 15, 2022.
Here are the top quotes by the Supreme Court bench on the Bilkis Bano rape case
“This is a classic case where the order of this court was used to violate the rule of law by granting remission".
“The exercise of power by the state of Gujarat is an instance of usurpation of power and abuse of power".
“We hold : (1) Govt of State of Gujarat had no competence to entertain the applications for remission or pass orders thereon".
"The government of the state (Maharashtra) where the offender was sentenced is the appropriate government to grant remission and not the government of the state (Gujarat) where the offence took place".
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“By suppressing material facts and making misleading facts, a direction was sought by the convict to the State of Gujarat to consider remission".
"Courts have to be mindful not just of the spelling of justice but also of the content of it".
“No one, how highsoever, is above the rule of law and the rule of law has to be preserved in a democracy with no role for compassion and sympathy to play".
"A woman deserves respect, howsoever, low she is regarded in society or whichever faith she follows".
