No extension…: Supreme Court rejects pleas, orders convicts in Bilkis Bano case to surrender by Sunday

The Supreme Court on Friday rejected the pleas of the 11 convicts of the Bilkis Bano case, who sought for an extension before surrendering to the authorities. They are now required to surrender and return to jail by Sunday.

Justice BV Nagarathna, heading the bench, deemed the pleas of the 11 men convicted for raping Bilkis Bano and murdering her family during the 2002 Godhra riots as lacking merit. The court has ordered the 11 convicts to surrender to the authorities by Sunday.

The convicts had moved the Supreme Court on Thursday, seeking an extension on their surrender deadline. This came after the apex court had revoked their early release order. Reasons such as physical ailments, family functions, dependent parents, and agricultural commitments have been cited asking for an extension of 4-6 weeks.

Bilkis Bano, at the age of 21, was pregnant when a mob attacked her and her family and she was gang raped during the 2002 riots. She, along with two of her children, were the sole survivors of the assault. However, the convicts were given a remission by the Gujarat government and released on August 15, 2022.

The Supreme Court on January 8 overturned the Gujarat government's decision to provide remission to the 11 men involved in the gang rape of Bilkis Bano and the murder of seven members of her family. The court had instructed the convicts to surrender within 2 weeks, that is, by January 22.​​