The Supreme Court has rejected the premature release of 11 Bilkis Bano convicts.
Not only this, the court even said on Monday that the Maharashtra government had to take a decision on this exemption. The Supreme Court has also strongly reprimanded the Gujarat government in this matter.
However, if now the 11 convicts also approach the Maharashtra government for relief, the path will not be easy.
What did the Supreme Court say?
The Supreme Court also emphasized that the state in which the case is conducted will also have to obtain permission from the trial court.
During this, the court also mentioned the resolution of the year 2008 of the Maharashtra Government. Now as per the 2008 resolution, it is necessary to serve at least 18 years of the sentence before any kind of pardon can be granted.
On January 21, 2008, a special judge in Greater Mumbai sentenced life imprisonment to those convicted for the murder and rape of Bilkis Bano’s family.
Later the Gujarat government released these people in August 2022. At present, the Supreme Court has given 2 weeks time to the convicts to surrender to the jail authorities.
If this is implemented, all the 11 convicts will be able to get pardon in the year 2026 also. The special thing is that under this, in cases of brutal crimes against women, it is necessary to serve a sentence of at least 28 years.
There are possibilities that this condition may be applicable to 11 convicts. If this is implemented, the convicts will remain in jail for at least 12 more years i.e. till 2036.
What was the system before this?
Before the 2008 policy, the 1992 policy was considered in the matter of amnesty. However, it is not yet clear which policy will be implemented.
The special judge then implemented the 2008 policy. According to a Bar & Bench report, even if the 1992 policy is implemented here, those serving life imprisonment in sex-related murder cases can get pardon only after at least 22 years.
At the same time, if extraordinary violence is involved in this case, then the figure can reach 28 years. If this happens, then even if the 1992 policy is implemented, the 11 convicts may be released only after 2030 or 2036.
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