In a welcome judgment, the Supreme Court on Monday ruled that 11 men convicted of raping Bilkis Bano and killing her family during the 2002 Gujarat riots but released early for “good behaviour” must return to jail. The convicts have to surrender within two weeks, the court said, cancelling Gujarat’s decision to release them. The Gujarat government was not competent to release the men in 2022, the Supreme Court said. This landmark judgment has massive relief to the entire nation. The decision of the Gujarat government to release them had triggered nationwide condemnation.
The Gujarat government had acted in a partisan manner by being soft on riot accused belonging to the majority community. To the utter shock of the entire country, these 11 men, who were convicted of raping and killing, were garlanded when they had come out of jail. The visuals of them being given a warm welcome had hurt the whole nation. The SC has done the correct thing by sending them back to jail. The 11 men deserve no mercy. They have committed the most heinous crime of rape and murder. The landmark judgment of the SC has once again restored the faith of the people in the judiciary. Hopefully this inspires others to fight for their rights.