Bilkis Bano case: IAS officer Smita Sabharwal calls for justice

The IAS officer has asked judiciary to cancel the remission of sentence of the culprits in Bilkis Bano gangrape case

Senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and secretary to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, Smita Sabharwal demanded justice for Bilkis Bano after the Gujarat government released 11 convicts in the 2002 gang rape and murder case on August 15.

The IAS officer has asked judiciary to cancel the remission of sentence of the culprits in Bilkis Bano gangrape case. Taking to Twitter, Smita Sabharwal said: "They deserved the noose not garlands. Appeal to the Supreme Court and Constitutional heads to cancel the remission, and restore our faith. #JusticeForBilkisBano."

They deserved the noose not garlands.
Appeal to the Supreme Court and Constitutional heads to cancel the remission, and restore our faith. #JusticeForBilkisBano pic.twitter.com/ECqXhZacF4

— Smita Sabharwal (@SmitaSabharwal) August 21, 2022

Earlier on August 18, Smita Sabharwal had tweeted saying that she read the news in disbelief. "As a woman and a civil servant, I sit in disbelief on reading the news on the Bilkis Bano case. We cannot snuff out her right to breathe free without fear again and call ourselves a free nation #JusticeForBilkisBano.”

As a woman and a civil servant I sit in disbelief, on reading the news on the #BilkisBanoCase.
We cannot snuff out her Right to breathe free without fear, again and call ourselves a free nation. #JusticeForBilkisBano pic.twitter.com/NYL6YS59Gh

— Smita Sabharwal (@SmitaSabharwal) August 18, 2022

On August 15, all the 11 convicts sentenced to life imprisonment in the 2002 case of Bilkis Bano's gang rape and murder of her seven family members during the communal riots walked out of the Godhra sub-jail after the Gujarat government allowed their release under its remission policy.

Also Read: 'There was no guilt or remorse': Bilkis Bano's lawyer after release of 11 rapists

A special CBI court in Mumbai had on January 21, 2008, sentenced to life imprisonment all the 11 accused in the case for murder of seven family members of Bilkis Bano, a riots survivor, and her gang rape. Their conviction was later upheld by Bombay High Court.

These convicts served more than 15 years in prison after which one of them approached the Supreme Court with a plea for his premature release.

The apex court had directed the Gujarat government to look into the issue of remission of his sentence as per its 1992 policy on the basis of the date of his conviction. Thereafter, the government formed a committee which took the decision to allow release of all the convicts.

(With inputs from PTI)

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