Bilkis Bano moves Supreme Court against release of 11 convicts, CJI to look into

Bilkis Banu approached the Supreme Court challenging the remission of the 11 convicts who walked free on August 15 this year. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said he will look into the listing of the plea after her lawyer mentioned the matter today before the CJI. The early release of the 11 convicts who were sentenced to life imprisonment in the 2002 gangrape case drew nationwide criticism and several petitions questioning the decision of the Gujarat government were filed in the top court. As the cases are being heard, Bilkis Bano's lawyer on Wednesday filed a writ petition challenging the remission of the sentence.

Responding to the petitions, the Gujarat Government has told the Supreme Court in an affidavit that the decision was taken after the approval of the C after the approval of the Central Government, considering the good behaviour of the convicts and the completion of 14 years sentence by them. The State affidavit revealed that the CBI and the Presiding Judge of the Trial Court (Special CBI Court at Mumbai) objected to the release of the convicts on the ground that the offence is heinous in nature