Gujarat Govt defends release of Bilkis Bano convicts, says 'their behaviour was good'
Bilkis Bano case: Gujarat government on Monday filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court, defending its decision to grant remission to the 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case and said that the remission was granted as they completed 14 years sentence in prison and their "behaviour was found to be good".
The Gujarat government stated in the affidavit that the Union Home Ministry approved the premature release in a letter dated 11 July this year.
On August 15, the Gujarat government remitted the sentences of 11 gangrape convicts in the Bilkis Bano case. This was achieved by the state government's 1992 remission and early release policy for life-term convicts.
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This outdated policy, as well as its implementation in freeing the convicts, sparked a massive uproar. Bilkis Bano also stated that she was never told or consulted about the convicts' release.
Since their release, the Supreme Court has issued notices on two petitions challenging their release: one filed by CPI(M) leader Subhashini Ali, writer Revati Laul, and academician Roop Rekha Verma, and another by TMC MP Mahua Moitra.
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-PTC News
