Bilkis Bano, a gang-rape survivor in the post-Godhra riots of 2002, cried foul when Additional Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta sought six weeks time merely to get “instructions” from the Gujarat government on the whereabouts of six cops who smothered her case.
Ms. Bano, represented by her counsel Shobha, asked the court why it takes an Additional Solicitor-General six weeks to get information in “Digital India”.
"After all, Delhi is not too far from Gujarat," Ms. Shobha said, even offering to get the necessary details about the police officers by the end of the day.
In October, the court asked the Gujarat government, which Mr. Mehta represents, to find out the status of the police officers , who were in fact convicted for manipulating the probe in the Bilkis Bano case.
Ms. Shobha had alleged that they were back to work in the State force, with one of them even getting a promotion.
The Bombay High Court on May 4 upheld the conviction and life imprisonment of 11 persons in the gruesome case of gang-rape. Ms. Bano’s family was attacked by a mob at Randhikpur village near Ahmedabad during the post Godhra riots and seven members of her family were killed. She was pregnant at the time of the incident.
The High Court had set aside the acquittal of the policemen and two doctors. They were found guilty of dereliction of duty and tampering of evidence.
“She has suffered for 15 years. Don't make her wait anymore for justice,” Ms. Shobha addressed a three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra.
Ms. Bano has also asked for enhancing the compensation ordered for her by the trial court and make it the maximum possible.
The Bench however said it was packed with cases in December and would hear Ms. Bano in the first week of January 2018.
Recently, the apex court had also dismissed the appeals of two doctors and four policemen , including an IPS officer, who had challenged their conviction by the High Court. The apex court had concluded that there was “clear-cut evidence” against them.
On January 21, 2008, a special court had convicted and sentenced 11 accused to life imprisonment . Though the trial in the case began in Ahmedabad, the Supreme Court transferred the case to Mumbai in 2004 after Ms. Bano expressed apprehensions that the CBI probe would be tampered.
