Bilkis Bano Case: Complete Timeline of Events from 2002 Riots to SC Verdict

The Supreme Court on Monday overturned the Gujarat government’s decision to grant remission to 11 convicts in the case of the gangrape of Bilkis Bano and the murder of her family members during the 2002 Gujarat riots.

The top court ruled that the state, where an offender is tried and sentenced, is only competent to decide the remission plea of convicts. Since the trial and conviction took place in the Bombay High Court, Maharashtra was the competent government to grant remission in this case, the court added.

Here’s a complete timeline of Bilkis Bano Case-

• 2002: During the Gujarat communal riots, five-months pregnant Bilkis Bano, fled her home in Randhikpur village with her 3-year-old daughter, husband and other family members to escape rioters.
• Bano and her family had reached the Chhaparvad district when they were attacked by a mob of 20-30 men armed with sickles, swords and stones. Bano, her mother and three other women were raped by 11 of these men.
• Seven of her family members including her 3-year-old daughter were killed by the mob.
• 2003: Bano turned to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) after the local police rejected her case. She eventually filed a case in the Supreme Court.
• The apex court handed the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
• 2004: The CBI arrested all the accused and the trial was transferred from Ahmedabad to Mumbai over fears of evidence tampering.
• 13 accused were convicted on charges of rape, murder and conspiracy, out of which 11 were given life sentences.
• 2008: These convicts challenged their conviction in the Bombay High Court.
• 2017: Bombay High Court upheld the judgment of life sentence for the 11 convicts.
• 2022: One of the convicts, Radheshyam Shah, approached the High Court and Supreme Court seeking early release.
• The Supreme Court transferred the case to the Gujarat High Court.
• August 15, 2022: The Gujarat government released all 11 convicts in the case under its remission policy. The move faced a major backlash.
• Bilkis Bano filed an appeal in the Supreme Court to review the decision made by the Gujarat government.
• 2023: The matter was listed for hearing in the Supreme Court in March.
• January 8, 2024: The Supreme Court dismissed the remission of the convicts ordering them to surrender to the authorities in two weeks.