Bilkis Bano case: Supreme Court rejects pre-mature release, Convicts seek extension

Days after the Supreme Court rejected the premature release of 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano gang-rape and murder case, three of them move applications seeking an extension to surrender. A special bench, comprising Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, will hear these applications urgently on January 19. The court had earlier set aside the remission orders by the Gujarat government, directing the convicts to surrender by January 21.

One convict, citing his 88-year-old bedridden father's dependence and his mother's poor health, requests a four-week extension for surrender. Another, aged 62, who underwent eye surgery, seeks 5 to 6 weeks for harvesting winter crops. The third applicant seeks a four-week extension, highlighting his responsibility for his son's marriageable age.

In its January 8 order, the Supreme Court emphasized that if remission orders are set aside, the natural consequences must follow. The court directed the convicts to report back to jail authorities within two weeks, underlining the necessity for the rule of law to prevail.