Bilkis Bano’s 11 rapists who brutally killed 7 of her family members including her 3-year-old daughter are set free on Independence Day.
Bilkis Bano, pregnant was raped by 11 men, while they smashed her arm breaking it, raped her mother, and her two sisters and killed her 3-year-old daughter and took turns raping her. Bilkis only survived because they left her thinking she was dead.
The 11 men who were sentenced for gang-raping the ten 21-year-old Bilkis Bano during the 2002 Gujarat riots and then brutally murdering 7 members of her family are now roaming freely in the same village as Bilkis.
The 11 convicts who walked out of the jail were sentenced for gang rape of a pregnant woman, murder of seven and unlawful assembly under sections of the Indian Penal Code but now due to “lack of evidence” were free.
What Husband of Bilkis Bano Said
The husband of Bilkis Bano on August 16 said they were stunned after coming to know from the media about the release of all 11 convicts sentenced to life imprisonment for her gang rape and murder of seven members of her family during the 2002 Gujarat riots.
Ms. Bilkis Bano’s husband Yakub Rasul told PTI that he does not plan to comment on the latest development in the case on Monday.
Mr. Rasul said he, his wife and five sons, the eldest now aged 20, continue to live without a fixed address, more than 20 years after the incident.
Mr. Rasul said he came to know about their release from the media.
“We had no knowledge about when they [convicts] processed their application and which judgement the State Government took into consideration. We never received any kind of notice and were not told about this. There was no way we could have known about this in advance,” he said.
Asked about his reaction to the government’s decision, Mr Rasul said he does not know what to say.
“We don’t intend to say anything on this. I can talk only after getting the details. All we want to do is pray for the peace of the souls of our near and dear ones who lost their lives in the riots. Every day we remember those who were killed in the incident, including our daughter,” he said.
Mr Rasul said the Gujarat Government paid the family a compensation of ₹50 lakh as directed by the Supreme Court.
“But the government has not yet made any arrangements for a job or house as directed by the Supreme Court,” he said.
The family continues to live continuous hiding without a fixed address, he said.
“We have no fixed address yet, we can’t yet talk about where we live, it is quite difficult for us to do so,” he said.
The compensation money, he said, was being used for the education of his sons.
The 11 Convicts
On August 15, the 11 convicts strode out of the Godhra sub-jail after the Gujarat Government allowed their release under its remission policy.
A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Mumbai on January 21, 2008, sentenced the 11 accused to life imprisonment on the charge of gang rape and murder of seven members of Ms. Bilkis Bano’s family. Their conviction was later upheld by the Bombay High Court.
The 11 convicts who were granted premature release are Jaswantbhai Nai, Govindbhai Nai, Shailesh Bhatt, Radheshyam Shah, Bipin Chandra Joshi, Kesarbhai Vohania, Pradeep Mordhiya, Bakabhai Vohania, Rajubhai Soni, Mitesh Bhatt, and Ramesh Chandana.
Radheshyam Shah, the convict whose plea for premature release paved the way for all the 11 life sentence convicts to walk out of jail, said he feels happy to be released.
“The Gujarat Government has released us as per the order of the Supreme Court. I feel glad to be out as I will be able to meet my family members and begin a new life,” he said.
“We were convicted and lodged in jail. When I was not released after completing 14 years in jail, I approached the Supreme Court for remission. The apex court directed the Gujarat Government to take a decision, after which we were released,” he said.
The convicts were released on Monday under the Gujarat Government’s remission policy after they completed more than 15 years in jail.
On March 3, 2002, Bilkis Bano’s family was attacked by a mob at Randhikpur village in Limkheda taluka of Dahod district during the post-Godhra riots. Bilkis, who was five months pregnant at that time, was gang-raped and seven members of her family were killed.
The Supreme Court had in April 2019 directed the Gujarat Government to give ₹50 lakh compensation, a job and accommodation to Bilkis.
Senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai asks, “Their life sentence remitted. If they roam around in the same village as Bilkis, will she ever be able to live a normal life? Is this ‘justice’? #BilkisBanoIf they roam around in the same village as Bilkis, will she ever be able to live a normal life? Is this ‘justice’? #BilkisBano
While convicting them, the special court acquitted seven accused citing a lack of evidence. One of the accused had died during the duration of the trial.
The Bombay High Court on May 3, 2017, upheld their conviction. It also convicted seven others, including five policemen and two doctors, under IPC Sections 218 (not performing their duties) and 201 (tampering with evidence).
Criticism grows for the Prime Minister who in his Independence Day speech spoke about how “men should respect women” and in response to that, this was the answer the women got on Independence Day. It would be traumatic for Bilkis Bano and her family to ever feel safe again while the criminals roam free once again in her village.
Read some of the angry reactions:
The 11 convicts, serving life imprisonment for the gang rape of a pregnant Bilkis Bano and the murder of seven of her family members, were freed by the Gujarat government as part of its remission policy.
11 convicts in the #BilkisBano case of the 2002 riots walked out of jail!
If you didn’t knew, It is Gujarat Govt that approved the release under its remission policy 👇 @KTRTRS pic.twitter.com/37atSfSwSI
— YSR (@ysathishreddy) August 16, 2022
20 years ago, 5 months pregnant #BilkisBano was gang-raped by her neighbors, her 3 year old daughter was snatched from her and killed, 7 other members of her family were killed too.
Today as 1.3 billion people watch, her rapists walk free.
India at 75 is a Republic of Injustice. pic.twitter.com/6y0oPduc5D— Arfa Khanum Sherwani (@khanumarfa) August 16, 2022
Swati Chaturvedi: Our Honourable minister for women & child welfare Mrs Irani is mum on the release of convicted gang rapists of #BilkisBano nothing to say on the public felicitation of men convicted of rape?
Our Honourable minister for women & child welfare Mrs Irani is mum on the release of convicted gang rapists of #BilkisBano nothing to say on the public felicitation of men convicted of rape?
— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) August 16, 2022
Barkha Dutt senior journalist says, “I can’t forget the night I met #BilkisBano in a relief camp, her arm in a cast, broken by the marauders who first raped her mother, her two sisters, killed her 3-year-old daughter & took turns assaulting a pregnant Bilkis. Bilkis & Yaqub named their newborn after their dead child.”
I cant forget the night I met #BilkisBano in a relief camp, her arm in a cast, broken by the marauders who first raped her mother, her two sisters, killed her 3 year old daughter & took turns assaulting a pregnant Bilkis. Bilkis & Yaqub named their newborn after their dead child
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) August 16, 2022
Rakesh Sharma: This is nauseating. I was numb for days after filming with #BilkisBano, hearing her describe the horrific sexual violence by these depraved monsters. Finally left alone only because they thought she was dead!
That BJP Govt is setting these savages free should make #IndiaAshamed
This is nauseating.
I was numb for days after filming with #BilkisBano, hearing her describe the horrific sexual violence by these depraved monsters. Finally left alone only because they thought she was dead!
That BJP Govt is setting these savages free should make #IndiaAshamed https://t.co/DUvdhFWVTb
— Rakesh Sharma (@rakeshfilm) August 15, 2022
Ajay Kamath @ajay43: “There really is nothing as disgusting as watching criminals convicted of rape being feted after being released. Something seriously wrong here- deeply depressing #bilkisbano
There really is nothing as disgusting as watching criminals convicted of rape being feted after being released. Something seriously wrong here- deeply depressing #bilkisbano
— Ajay Kamath (@ajay43) August 15, 2022
Kavita Krishnan writes: kavita_krishnan: On #IndependenceDay2022 when
@PMOIndia was giving a speech asking us to respect women, support “Nari Shakti”,
@CMOGuj was releasing 11 convicted gang-rapists of #BilkisBano on remission. Can
@narendramodi tell us, is Bilkis not part of your “Nari Shakti” because she’s Muslim?
Shama Mohamed from Congress condemned it in her video.
#BilkisBano . @narendramodi must answer pic.twitter.com/GyhYmHDoCy
— Dr. Shama Mohamed (@drshamamohd) August 16, 2022
Author Sanjay Jha wrote “In any other country, the release of the rapists of #BilkisBano, which is a repugnant reprehensible decision, would have led to stinging criticism of an insensitive, callous government. And the political party at the helm.
And we talk of respecting women in India?”
In any other country, the release of the rapists of #BilkisBano, which is a repugnant reprehensible decision, would have led to a stinging criticism of an insensitive, callous government. And the political party at the helm.
And we talk of respecting women in India?
— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) August 16, 2022
The Gujarat Riots
Riots had erupted in Gujarat following the burning of a Sabarmati Express coach that killed 59 ‘karsevaks ‘on February 27, 2002.
The violence had claimed the lives of 1,044 people, mostly Muslims, across different parts of the State.
The Central Government had informed the Rajya Sabha in May 2005 that 254 Hindus and 790 Muslims were killed in the post-Godhra riots.