On 30.05.2017, the Supreme Court refused to stay the the conviction of IPS officer RS Bhagora in the Bilkis Bano Gangrape case and said that there is no urgency for hearing the matter as the convicted officer has already undergone the sentence. The Court will, however, hear the matter in the second week of July, 2017.
The IPS officer, who, along with 4 other police officers, was convicted by the Bombay High Court had sought for the stay on the conviction order on the ground that if the stay is not granted then he will be terminated from the service as per service rules.
The Bombay High Court had, on 04.05.2017, reversed the trial court verdict acquitting RS Bhagora and others. The High Court had convicted 2 doctors along with 5 policemen.
According to the prosecution, on 3 March, 2002, Bilkis 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. Bilkis Bano, who was five months pregnant at the time, was gang raped. The convicts had, however, contended that all evidence in the case was fabricated by CBI and the fact that Bilkis gave birth to a child after the incident proves that she could not have been gang raped.
Source: PTI