Celebratory atmosphere after Supreme Court's decision at Bilkis Bano's house - firecrackers burst

Bilkis Bano Case: The Supreme Court on Monday canceled the Gujarat government's decision to grant remission to 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano gang rape case. The court has ordered 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case to surrender before the jail authorities within 2 weeks. To celebrate the Supreme Court's decision, firecrackers were burst outside Bilkis Bano's house in Devgarh Baria, Gujarat.

Uncle said he got justice from the court

Bano's uncle Abdul Razzaq Mansoori, a witness in the gang rape case, said he was happy to know that justice had been served and now all the culprits would have to surrender within two weeks. He termed the Gujarat government's move to release the culprits as wrong.

#WATCH | Firecrackers being burst outside the residence of Bilkis Bano in Devgadh Baria, Gujarat.

Supreme Court today quashed the Gujarat government's decision to grant remission to 11 convicts in the case of gangrape of Bilkis Bano. SC directed 11 convicts in Bilkis Bano case… pic.twitter.com/T7oxElwgcY

— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2024

Court asked sharp questions to Gujarat government

Let us tell you that the Supreme Court, accusing the Gujarat government of misusing its powers, has rejected the state government's decision to grant remission to 11 convicts in the case of gang rape of Bilkis Bano and murder of seven members of her family during the 2002 riots. The decision was canceled on Monday and the culprits were directed to be sent to jail within two weeks. A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjwal Bhuyan said the Gujarat government's order granting remission of sentence was passed without due consideration and asked whether "remission of sentence is permissible in cases of heinous crimes against women", No matter what religion or sect the woman follows.

Government misused powers: Court

Bilkis Bano was 21 years old and five months pregnant at the time of the incident. The rape was committed during the riots that broke out in 2002 after the Bano to Godhra train fire. His three-year-old daughter was among the seven members of his family killed in the riots. The Gujarat government had granted remission to all the 11 convicts on August 15, 2022 and released them. The bench said, “We set aside the order of remission of sentence on the ground of misuse of powers by the Gujarat government. Delivering its verdict of more than 100 pages, the bench said that the Gujarat government is not the appropriate government to order commutation of sentence.