The Centre and the Gujarat government on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that they may file a plea seeking a review of its March 27 order asking them to be ready with original files on the grant of remission to the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case.
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A bench of Justices K M Joseph and B V Nagarathna questioned the paroles granted to 11 convicts during their incarceration period and said the gravity of the offence could have been considered by the state, PTI reports.
It said, “A pregnant woman was gang-raped and several people were killed. You cannot compare victim’s case with standard section 302 (murder) cases. Like you cannot compare apples with oranges, similarly massacre cannot be compared with single murder. Crimes are generally committed against society and the community. Unequal cannot be treated equally.”
“The question is whether government applied its mind and what material formed the basis of its decision to grant remission,” the bench said, adding, “Today it is Bilkis but tomorrow it can be anyone. It may be you or me. If you do not show your reasons for grant of remission, then we will draw our own conclusions.”
The bench posted the batch of pleas challenging the remission to the convicts in Bilkis Bano case for final disposal on May 2 and asked all the convicts who have not been served notices to file their replies.
According to PTI, Supreme Court asked the Centre and the state to make its stand clear about filing of a review plea.
All the 11 convicts were granted remission by the Gujarat government and released on August 15 last year.
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