New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed applications by 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case seeking to extend their time to surrender before jail authorities.
A two-judge bench led by justice B V Nagarathna said the applications lacked merit. “The reasons cited by applicants to seek postponement of surrender and report back to jail have no merit inasmuch as those reasons in no way prevent them from complying with our directions”, said the bench.
The Supreme Court Thursday agreed to examine tomorrow applications filed by three convicts in Bilkis Bano case, seeking extension of time to surrender. The time to surrender is expiring on January 21.
On January 8, the apex court quashed the remission granted to 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case by the Gujarat government. The apex court said that the Gujarat government had no power to apply its remission policy to these eleven convicts and directed all the convicts to surrender within two weeks.
One of the convicts Ramesh Rupabhai Chandana has sought extension of time by another six weeks claiming son is of marriageable age and the applicant bears the responsibility to look after this affair. “That it is further submitted with humility that the mother of the applicant is aged 86 years and suffering with multiple age-related ailments and as such the applicant is seeking indulgence from this Hon’ble Court to make viable arrangements for his mother before surrendering”, said Chandana’s plea.
Another convict Mitesh Chimanlal Bhat has also sought six weeks extension stating his winter produce is ready for harvest and he would prefer to complete the process and then surrender.
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