A bench, headed by Justice Ramana, asked the petitioners to implead those who have been granted remission as parties in the matter.
New Delhi: Two days after Chief Justice of India N V Ramana said he will look into the pleas challenging release of the 11 men convicted for the gangrape of Bilkis Bano during the 2002 Godhra riots, the Supreme Court on Thursday sought a response of the Gujarat government.
A bench, headed by Justice Ramana, asked the petitioners to implead those who have been granted remission as parties in the matter. The bench has posted the matter for hearing after two weeks.
As many as three PILs have been filed against the release of the convicts. The please have been filed by Communist Party of India (Marxist) Politburo Member Subhashini Ali, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra and one other.
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On August 15, the Gujarat government had released 11 convicts under its remission and premature release policy after one of the convicts — Radheshyam Shah — moved the Supreme Court.
In June, the Centre had proposed to release convicted prisoners to mark the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav but rape convicts were not listed among those who could be released. However, the Gujarat government followed its own policy as per Supreme Court directions and released the convicts. The apex court had asked the state government to consider a remission plea by one of the convicts.
The Centre had vehemently opposed the release of rape victims. In Page 4 of the guidelines to the states on releasing convicts, the Centre had said no one with life sentence will be released.
Bilkis Bano was 21-year-old and five months pregnant when she was raped. Her toddler daughter was killed along with six others of the family on March 3, 2002, during the Godhra riots. Bano and her family were hiding in the fields, hoping to escape the violence after a coach of the Sabarmati Express was burnt killing 59 karsevaks.
