11 convicts serving life sentence in Bilkis Bano case of Gujarat riots released

The Government of Gujarat released the convicts through its remission policy

Godhra (Gujarat) – 11 convicts who were serving life sentences in the Bilkis Bano gang-rape case and the murder of 7 members of that family during the 2002 Godhra riots were freed. The BJP Government in Gujarat approved the release of these 11 under its ‘remission policy’. On 21^st January 2008, a special CBI Court in Mumbai sentenced them to life imprisonment. So far, these convicts have served 15 years. One of the accused filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking the release of all of them.

Bilkis Bano case: 11 lifers convicted for Gujarat riots gangrape, murder set free in Godhra; Congress calls BJP govt order ‘unprecedented’ pic.twitter.com/b6bY503sC3

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The Court had ordered the Gujarat Government to consider waiving their sentence. Following that, the Government constituted a committee. The committee had submitted a report to pardon these convicts. Based on that, the Government took the decision.