New Delhi, 13 Oct 2023: The Supreme Court of India has deferred its judgment concerning numerous petitions that dispute the decision by the Gujarat government to prematurely release 11 individuals convicted for their roles in the 2002 Gujarat violence, which involved the gang-rape of Bilkis Bano and the murder of seven members of her family, according to information from Kashmir Media Service. These convicts, who were serving life sentences, were released last year, sparking extensive public ire and demonstrations.

During the violent outbreak in Gujarat in 2002, Bano and her family became victims of a brutal attack. The convicts involved in the case were handed life sentences but were released prematurely by the Gujarat government, inciting a series of legal challenges and public protests. The Supreme Court, in response to the petitions filed against the government’s decision, has mandated the authorities to furnish the original records pertaining to the release, which must be submitted by October 16.

An extensive, 11-day hearing that commenced in August has encapsulated the submissions from the counsel of Bilkis Bano, representatives for the Gujarat government, and lawyers for the Public Interest Litigant (PIL) petitioners, before Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan. Advocate Shobha Gupta represented Bilkis Bano, the survivor, whereas senior Advocates Indira Jaising, along with advocates Vrinda Grover, Aparna Bhat, Nizamuddin Pasha, and Pratik R Bombarde, represented various PILs.

The premature release of the convicts in the prior year incited a cascade of protests and a widespread expression of public outrage, highlighting a palpable tension in the societal response to the government’s decisions regarding the case and the overarching issue of accountability in instances of communal and sectarian violence. The reserved judgment of the Supreme Court now stands as a focal point in the ongoing discourse surrounding the case.