Police complaints found filed against Bilkis Bano case convicts with good behavior
Bilkis Bano rape case convicts: Good behavior versus police complaints
New Delhi: The release of the 11 convicts who were released in the Bilkis Bano case has taken a turn with filing FIRs for harassment against them being revealed.
The convicts in the rape of Bilkis Bano and murder of her family members in 2002 case were released on August 15 and felicitated like heroes. The Gujarat government had cited ‘good behaviour’ of the convicts and the approval of the Centre for their release.
The government claim of good behaviour, however, appears to be broken down by FIRs of harassment found to be filed against the convicts, said NDTV.
Multiple FIRs as well as police complaints were filed against the convicts for threatening and harassing witnesses when acquitted. Both these contradict the claim of good behavior and the absence of evidence of wrongdoings by the convicts while serving time.
At least four witnesses in the Bilkis Bano case filed complaints and FIRs against the convicts between 2017 and 2021, said the source.
An FIR was registered against two convicts Radheshyam Shah and Miteshbhai Bhatt at the Radhikapur police station in Dahod on July 6, 2020. The FIR was filed by Saberaben Patel, and a witness in the Bilkis Bano case, Pintubhai, under sections 354 (assault or criminal force with intention to outrage modesty), 504 (intimidation), 506 (2) (threat to kill) and 114 (abetment) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). It said that three men, including two convicts and Radheshyam's brother Ashish, threatened Saberaben, her daughter Arfa and witness Pintubhai for implicating them with their statements on the case.
In another police complaint, filed with Dahod police against Sailesh Chimmanlal Bhatt on January 1, 2021, Mansuri Abdul Razzaq Abdul Majid, another witness, had alleged that he was being threatened by the convict while the latter was out on parole. It also referred to the felicitation of Bhatt by Limkheda MLA Sailesh Bhai Bhabhor and former minister of state and Lok Sabha MP Jaswantsing Bhabhor for Bhatt’s good deeds. The complaint, however, was not turned into an FIR.
In a third complaint, which was also not turned into an FIR, two witnesses Ghanchi Adambhai Ismailbhai and Ghanchi Imtiazbhai Yusufbhai, told the police on July 18, 2017, that one of the convicts, Govind Nai had threatened to kill them if they did not agree to "compromise", said the source.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court said that the Gujarat government justification of the release of the convicts prior to term had cited judgments, not factual statements. A bench headed by Justice Ajay Rastogi had called it ‘a very bulky counter’ that lacked factual statements.
Defending the release of the convicts for ‘good behavior’, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said, “When the government and the concerned people have taken the decision, I don't find anything wrong in it as it is a process of law.
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Odisha: BJD, Congress demand rollback of fuel price hike
Bhubaneswar (PTI): The opposition BJD and Congress on Friday demanded an immediate rollback of the fuel price hike, accusing the ruling BJP of adopting a "double standard" on the issue of GST on petrol and diesel.
The women's wing of the Congress staged a demonstration near a fuel station in Bhubaneswar, protesting the increase of Rs 3 per litre in petrol and diesel prices.
BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said the BJP had demanded that petrol and diesel be brought under the GST regime when it was in the opposition in the state, but was now taking a contradictory stand after coming to power.
"This is the time for the BJP to honour its earlier commitments and bring petrol and diesel under GST after withdrawing VAT. The party said one thing while in opposition, but after assuming power, it is misleading the people with a different stance," he alleged.
In a statement, the BJD claimed that fuel prices were not reduced even when international crude oil prices had fallen below USD 60 per barrel, allowing oil companies to earn massive profits at the expense of consumers.
"Now, when crude oil prices are rising, the BJP government has increased fuel prices by Rs 3 per litre to protect the profits of oil companies. This exposes the true character of the BJP," it alleged.
Ipsita Sahu, president of the Biju Chhatra Janata Dal, said the Centre should explain "under what pressure" it was being compelled to avoid cheaper fuel imports from Russia.
Meanwhile, Mahila Congress activists marched from the party's state headquarters to a fuel station in the Unit-2 area of Bhubaneswar, demanding rollback of the hike in petrol, diesel, commercial LPG and CNG prices.
As part of the protest, women activists brought two-wheelers without petrol to symbolically highlight the burden of rising fuel costs.
District Mahila Congress president Shriya Mohanty claimed the fuel price hike exposed the real nature of the BJP government.
"During the Manmohan Singh government in 2014, diesel was sold at Rs 55 per litre and petrol at Rs 70 per litre," she claimed.
