SC Disappoints Bilkis Bano, Rejects Plea To Review Release Of Rapists
Where do the victims go now?
Bilkis Bano gang-raped by 11 men while she tried to escape the Godhra train riot in Gujarat, in 2008 is again subjected to suffer the trauma of the past incident. Her culprits had been sanctioned an early release by the Gujarat Government. The Supreme Court passed orders for the state to use its remission policy under which the rapists were released. Bilkis Bano had recently challenged this decision of the court, but the Supreme Court in its latest order has dismissed Bilkis Bano’s plea to review its earlier order.
The 11 convicts of the Bilkis Bano rape case were released on August 15 this year. Welcomed with garland and sweets, their pictures sparked rage in the heart of every Indian, especially women. Bilkis Bano, the victim who was pregnant when the incident happened to her was in shock to see the release of her rapists. She also released her official statement expressing grief and shock at this news. Later on, in November, Bilkis Bano through her advocate filed a petition in the Supreme Court to review its judgement of granting an order to the Gujarat Government to release the 11 convicts under the 1992 remission policy. However, the Supreme Court on Saturday dismissed her plea. The two-judge bench headed by Ajay Rastogi and Vikram Nath dismissed the plea on December 13, and the decision was sent to Bilkis Bano’s lawyer through a letter on December 16.
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In the plea, Bilkis Bano mentioned about being clueless about the whole remission policy and early release of the convicts. She even stated the convict on whose plea the Supreme Court granted Gujarat government authority to use remission policy had presented incomplete information. The convict had not mentioned the victim’s name and the nature of the crime, as per the news.
Also Read: Bilkis Bano Case: Supreme Court Issues Notice To Gujarat Government On Release Of 11 Rapists
Reacting to this news, the chief of the Delhi Commission For Women, Swati Maliwal tweeted that if Supreme Court also does not come to a woman’s rescue, what other option will she be left with?
सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने बिलक़िस बानो की अर्ज़ी ख़ारिज कर दी। बिलक़िस बानो का 21 साल की उम्र में गैंग रेप किया गया, उसके 3 साल के बेटे & 6 परिवार वालों का क़त्ल कर दिया गया, पर गुजरात सरकार ने उसके सभी रेपिस्ट को आज़ाद कर दिया। अगर सुप्रीम कोर्ट से भी न्याय नहीं मिलेगा, तो कहाँ जाएँगे?
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) December 17, 2022
Also Read: Bilkis Bano Is Numb After Knowing 11 Men Who Raped Her Were Released, Wants To Be Left Alone
Supreme Court’s decision had just left us hopeless. Will such decisions not empower men to continue harming women and commit crimes? What example is being set here for the public, where a woman who was brutally raped by 11 men is left to suffer the burden of it, while her culprits roam freely?
Twitter Furious With SC Judge For Calling Bilkis Bano Case ‘Merely Horrific’
