Bilkis Bano gangrape convicts remission: LIVE UPDATES from Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is hearing a petition challenging the decision of the Gujarat government to grant remission to 11 convicts who had gangraped Bilkis Bano and murdered her family members during the 2002 Godhra riots.

The case is being heard by a three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana, Justice Ajay Rastogi and Vikram Nath.

Bano was gangraped during the 2002 riots and her three-year-old-daughter was among twelve people killed by a mob in Limkheda taluka of Dahod district in Gujarat.

The Supreme Court had ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the case after Bano approached National Human Rights Commission.

When Bano complained of death threats by the accused, the apex court in 2004 directed the trial to be transferred from Godhra in Gujarat to Maharashtra.

In January 2008, a Special CBI Court convicted thirteen accused, out of which eleven were sentenced life imprisonment on the charge of gangrape and murder.

In May 2017, the conviction order was upheld by the Bombay High Court.

In 2019, the Supreme Court also directed the State of Gujarat to provide ₹50 lakh compensation to Bano.

The Gujarat government, however, allowed the remission plea of the convicts this year leading to the present plea.

Live updates from the hearing below.