Bilkis Bano. In the background is the Supreme Court. Photos: PTI

New Delhi: The Gujarat government told the Supreme Court on Monday, October 17, that 11 men convicted for the gang rape of Bilkis Bano during the 2002 Gujarat riots were released after the Union home ministry had approved the remission and premature release of convicts through a letter dated July 11, 2022, according to LiveLaw.

In the affidavit filed before the apex court, the state government underlined that their “behaviour was found to be good” and that they were released on the grounds that they had completed 14 years in jail.

The court was hearing a batch of petitions, filed by CPI (M) Politburo member Subhashini Ali, and Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, challenging the decision of the Gujarat government to release the convicts.

The 11 convicts walked out of the Godhra sub-jail on August 15, serving 18 years of their life term. Their premature release set off a huge controversy, with political parties and civil society organisations demanding the decision be rolled back.

The state government underscored that the decision was taken according to its remission policy dated July 9, 1992, “as directed by” the apex court and not “under the circular governing the grant of remission to prisoners as part of the celebration of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’”.

“It is well established that a PIL is not maintainable in a criminal matter. The petitioner is in no way connected to the proceedings which either convicted the accused in question nor with the proceedings which culminated in grant of remission to the convicts,” an affidavit filed by the Gujarat home department stated, according to the LiveLaw report.

This story was originally published in thewire.in . Read the full story here