New Delhi, Sep 14 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Thursday asked one of the convicts lawyer in the Bilkis Bano case, to explain the basis of his remission, in a gruesome & heinous offence in which he was convicted.
The two-judge bench of the Apex Court, headed by Justice B V Nagarathna and was also comprising Justice Ujjal Bhuyan was hearing a batch of pleas challenging the remission granted to 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case.
“Can you explain how your client deserve remission in such a gruesome and heinous offence, like this,” the Bench asked the Senior Senior Siddharth Luthra, who was appearing for one of the convicts, Ramesh Rupabhai Chandana, before the Top court.
The Apex Court also remarked and questioned how the convicts enjoyed long paroles. “How many convicts, including Ramesh, had also enjoyed parole of around more than 1000 days,” the Top Court questioned Mr Luthra.
The arguments today was inconclusive, and would continue on September 20, Wednesday, before the Supreme Court’s same bench of judges. It is expected that on that day, the SC would reserve its order.
During the course of the hearing, Luthra today argued that every person who had been given life sentence is also treated with a chance for reformation. When there is a judicial determination that only life is enough, reformation cannot be shut out on the anvil that crime was heinous.
“The law has taken its course. Question is when will the punishment if at all end? Should these people be deprived of liberty? Does not the executive have the power to decide on this?,” Luthra argued.
The Apex Coirt also wanted to know that have the convicts given surety and are they giving their attendance at the police station.
To this, lawyer for one of the intervenors Vrinda Grover, replied that documentary proof of the same shall have to be shared on affidavit.
The Gujarat government had granted remission to the 11 convicts based on a May 2022 judgment of the apex court.
The Gujarat government awarded remission to all the 11 convicts of Bano and freed them on on August 15, last year. Bano has filed a writ petition in the Top Court challenging the remissions granted to 11 convicts.
The 11 convicts who were set free are Jaswant Nai, Govind Nai, Shailesh Bhatt, Radhyesham Shah, Bipin Chandra Joshi, Kesarbhai Vohania, Pradeep Mordhiya, Bakabhai Vohania, Rajubhai Soni, Mitesh Bhatt and Ramesh Chandana.
