Timeline Of Bilkis Bano Case: All You Need To Know

On March 27, the Supreme Court of India asked the Government of Gujarat to explain the grounds on which the 11 convicts were released in 2022. The survivor has reached the apex court to contest the release based on good behaviour.

A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and K M Joseph said that there are many layers to it which need in-depth hearings before the court could come to a conclusion. It also directed the Gujarat government to be ready by April 18 with documents that would help to justify the remission of the convicts in gang rape and murder case. Here is a timeline of the case.

2002 Godhra Train Incident & Violence

The case dates back to 2002 when the Godhra train was burnt in Gujarat, and the incident was followed by violence and heinous crimes. On February 27, the Sabarmati Express was returning from Ayodhya to Ahmedabad with Hindu pilgrims. An argument erupted between passengers and vendors, it got violent and under uncertain circumstances, four coaches caught fire. In 2003 it was concluded that it was an unfortunate incident.

Since most people who died in the accident were Hindus, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) called for a statewide lockdown (bandh). Then-Chief Minister called it an act of terrorism and not communal violence. However, members of the state government blamed the Muslim community, without proof, and instigated violence against them.

False stories were printed which were followed by the destruction of about 230 mosques and 274 dargahs. It was estimated that at least 250 Muslim girls and women were gang-raped and burnt to death. Among this number were Bilkis Bano and her family as well.

March 3, 2002

When the violence erupted, Bilkis Bano, who was five months pregnant at that time, and her family decided to take shelter in a safe place. They reached a village but riots followed her there too on March 3. Her entire family tried to hide in the nearby farms.

According to the charge sheet, about 30 to 40 armed people attacked her family. They raped Bilkis Bano and four other women in her family, including her mother. Of the 17 people in her family, seven were murdered, including her three-year-old daughter, and a few went missing.

After raping, the criminals left Bilkis naked. She was unconscious, therefore, they thought she was dead. She regained consciousness three hours after the incident.

On March 4, Bilkis reached a police station in Limkheda village, but the constable did not pay much heed to her complaint. Since she was the sole survivor of the incident and did not know the names of all the abusers, the constable sent her to a relief camp where she met her missing husband.

She went through a medical examination and was directed to the National Human Rights Commission. By the end of the year 2002, the case was given to the Central Bureau of Investigation. They tried to find the dead bodies of her family but the attackers had cut off their heads.

2003

On March 25, the report of the case was submitted to Limkheda’s Magistrate. He closed the case saying everyone agreed there was not much to go ahead on it. In April, Bilkis approached NHRC, and her case was sent to the Supreme Court where she also mentioned the treatment of the Magistrate, CBI and police department of Limkheda.

On October 25, the apex court ordered the Gujarat state government to close the CID investigation. On December 18, the court directed the CBI to continue the investigation of the case and present facts.

2004

By January 2004, the CBI had arrested 14 people in the incident. In February 2004, the investigation bureau filed a final report stating that Gujarat police were also involved along with the attackers.

In April 2004, the CBI arrested 20 abusers, including six police officers and two government doctors. In May, the report mentioned molestation by police officers. In July, Bilkis Bano requested the Supreme Court to transfer her case to somewhere else because she was getting death threats from Gujarat. In August, the case was transferred to the Mumbai Special CBI court.

2005

In January 2005, charges were filed against the accused. On February 20, Bilkis identified 12 abusers and a trial began in Ahmedabad.

2008

On January 21, 2008, the special court convicted 11 accused and announced life imprisonment. It released seven, including the doctors and police.

2017

On May 4, 2017, the court declared the other seven accused as criminals in the case. They were accused of tampering with the evidence. On July 10, the Supreme Court dismissed the release plea of two doctors and four police officers.

2019

In April 2019, the Supreme Court ordered the Gujarat government to provide Bilkis Bano with compensation of ₹50 lakhs, a house to live in and employment.

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2020

In October 2020, Bilkis reached the apex court again saying she was not happy with the compensation and job. The court directed her to speak with authority.

2022

In August 2022, 11 rapists and murderers were released based on their good behaviour. Advocate Shobha Gupta said, “It’s threatening, it’s devastating, it’s disappointing. It is difficult for a person who is raped and lost 14 of her family members in the fight for justice.”

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2023

The case is going on in the Supreme Court and the country awaits the decision. Justice KM Joseph asked, “This was a heinous offence. It was horrendous. And for murder cases, convicts are languishing in jails without remission. So, is this a case where the standards have been adopted uniformly in the other cases also?”