Bilkis moves SC over release of 11 convicts

NEW DELHI: Stressing that the convicts deserved no mercy in view of the heinous crime they committed, Bilkis Bano moved the Supreme Court on Wednesday against the Gujarat government’s decision to allow the 11 men, sentenced to life in 2008 for her gang-rape and murder of seven family members, to walk out of jail on remission.

Through two separate petitions, Bano has also sought a review of the Supreme Court’s May order by which the state government was directed to consider the convicts plea for premature release in accordance with the 1992 policy – the one prevalent on the date of their conviction. While the existing remission policy of 2014 of the Gujarat government prohibits early release of rape convicts, no such restrictions were there in the 1992 policy.

Appearing before Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud on Wednesday, Bano’s lawyer requested for early listing of the two petitions.