SC to consider hearing plea against grant of remission to 11 convicts in Bilkis Bano case

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a petition challenging the remission granted to 11 convicts given life sentences for multiple murders and rape in the Bilkis Bano case.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana asked senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who mentioned the public interest litigation in court on Tuesday, whether the release of the convicts was on the basis of an order passed by the Supreme Court.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal who mentioned the public interest litigation in the court on Tuesday clarified that the petitioner was not questioning the Supreme Court order but the basis on which remission was granted to the 11 convicts during the 2002 post-Godhra riots.


The 11 who gangraped and murdered seven members of Bilkis Bano's family during the 2002 Gujarat riots were released from Godhra jail on Independence Day, after completing more than 15 years in jail. A special CBI court in Mumbai had in 2002 awarded them life imprisonment.