Centre’s Push For Setting The Bilkis Bano Rapists Free On “Good Behaviour” Was Not Supported By The CBI
A few months back, India witnessed one of the most horrible and unacceptable decisions by the Gujarat government when the 10 convicts in the Bilkis Bano Rape case were released. Not only that, the picture of those 11 rapists being greeted in front of the jail gate is still fresh in the minds of all the Indians. The decision received a severe backlash and this was not something that was unexpected. The most shocking revelation in the case is that despite the strong disapproval of releasing the Bilkis Bano rapists on grounds of “Good behaviour” by the CBI, the Centre still pushed for it.
The 11 convicts have been accused of raping the victim, Bilkis Bano, and killing 14 of her family members. This gruesome crime also had the little child of Bilkis Bano as a victim. The rapists were released after the Gujarat Government pushed the proposal for it, based on the culprits’ “Good behaviour”. In fact, the Central government was quick enough to approve this proposal and a fast-track court was set up to expedite the hearing process. The grounds of “Good behaviour” by the 11 accused can very well be questioned because Bilkis Bano had reported cases of harassment by some of those men when they were out on parole. As per a recent report, it has come to the surface that the CBI was not in support of releasing these culprits and opined against this decision yet it was not paid heed to by the Centre.
Also Read:Bilkis Bano Is Numb After Knowing 11 Men Who Raped Her Were Released, Wants To Be Left Alone
This 2002 rape case is a horror that sends chills down your spine. The victim was raped when she was just 21 years old and was also pregnant. Her entire family was killed. The only justice that the victim got was when the rapists were sent to life imprisonment but sadly only spent 14 years of their term. Bilkis Bano was not guaranteed any kind of safety by the Gujarat Government prior to their release.
Also Read: Bilkis Bano Case: Supreme Court Issues Notice To Gujarat Government On Release Of 11 Rapists
A crime so pathetic and petrifying deserves no levy. The fact that “good behaviour” was the main ground for their release makes me furious. What behaviour are we considering now, when the horrific crime has been committed? When so many lives have already been ruined. The years of trauma that Bilkis Bano suffered do not deserve this kind of end. Culprits accused of rape and multiple murders allowed to roam free just because they behaved well for a few years during their jail term can never be a justified reason, and when the Central Bureau Of Investigation is not approving of it, how can the government still go ahead with this decision?
