Supreme Court Criticizes Gujarat Government for Withholding Gang-Rape Case File

# b. Balagopal / Mathrubhumi News

The court observed that the granting of parole to an accused who killed a person and the granting of parole to the accused in a gang-rape case cannot be seen as the same.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court criticized the Gujarat government for not presenting the file related to the commutation of the accused in the case of gang-rape of Bilkis Banu during the 2002 Gujarat riots. A bench comprising Justices KM Joseph and BV Nagaratna asked the Gujarat government why it was hesitating to hand over the file to the court. Meanwhile, the Gujarat government informed the court that it is considering filing a review petition against the Supreme Court’s order to hand over the file.

Justice KM Joseph pointed out that the governments have handed over files of a more confidential nature to the court. The Supreme Court also said that the files should be seen to know why the sentence is being commuted. The court had earlier directed to produce the files. But the Gujarat government informed the court that it is considering filing a review petition against this order. Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the Gujarat government, stated in the Supreme Court that a decision will be taken soon in this regard.

The Supreme Court also criticized the early parole granted to the accused in the Bilkis Banu gang-rape case. The court pointed out that granting parole to an accused who killed a person and granting parole to accused in a gang-rape case cannot be seen as the same. Today there was an attack against Bilkis Banu. The Supreme Court also opined that it can be against anyone tomorrow. The hearing of pleas filed by Bilkis Banu against the commutation of the sentence was postponed to May 2.