NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday decided to take up on January 19 a plea filed by the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case for extension of time to surrender.
On January 8, the apex court had quashed remission of 11 convicts in the gang rape and murder case and ordered them to surrender within two weeks.
On Thursday, a bench led by Justice B V Nagarathna directed the SC registry to seek orders from the Chief Justice of India for constituting a bench also comprising Justice Ujjal Bhuyan for hearing the matter on Thursday.
The court passed its order as an advocate mentioned the applications filed by as many as three convicts for extension of time.
The two weeks time granted by the top court earlier to surrender to 11 convicts is going to expire on January 21.
The counsel said other convicts would also file similar plea for extension of time during the course of the day.
Convict Ramesh Rupabhai Chandana sought extension by six weeks to take care of familial obligation. Convict Mitesh Chimanlal Bhat sought six weeks more time to harvest winter produce. Another convict sought six weeks additional time in order to take care of his old and ailing father.
On January 8, 2024, the Supreme Court had quashed the Gujarat government's decision of August 10, 2022 to grant remission to 11 convicts sentenced to life term for the gang rape of Bilkis Bano and killing her family members during the 2002 Gujarat riots.
The court had then concluded the Maharashtra government would exercise the powers to consider remission as the trial was conducted in Mumbai.
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