The Gujarat High Court has granted seven day parole to Radheshyam Shah, one of the 11 convicts serving life sentences in the 2002 Bilkis Bano gang rape and murder case.
Justice Sanjeev J Thaker partly allowed Shah’s plea after considering the grounds cited in his petition and remarks submitted by the prison authorities.
Parole Granted for Seven Days
The court ordered Shah’s release for seven days from the date of his actual release, subject to a personal bond of ₹10,000 and other conditions.
He has been directed to surrender to the jail authorities immediately after the parole period ends. He must also mark his presence at the nearest police station on the third and fifth days of his release.
The court said it was inclined to exercise discretion in Shah’s favour after considering the grounds mentioned in his petition and the jail remarks.
According to reports, Shah’s plea cited the economic condition of his family as a reason for seeking parole. His counsel told the court that his presence was required to assist his family financially.
Conviction in Bilkis Bano Case
Shah and 10 other accused were convicted in 2008 by a special court in Mumbai and sentenced to life imprisonment for gang rape and multiple murders committed during the 2002 Gujarat communal violence.
Bilkis Bano, who was pregnant at the time, was gang raped during the violence. Several members of her family were also killed, including her young daughter.
The Bombay High Court upheld the convictions in 2017, while the Supreme Court later dismissed the convicts’ appeals.
Supreme Court Quashed 2022 Remission
In August 2022, the Gujarat government released all 11 convicts under its remission policy.
However, the Supreme Court set aside the remission orders in January 2024, holding that the Gujarat government did not have the jurisdiction to decide the remission applications because the trial had been conducted in Maharashtra.
The court directed the convicts to surrender, and all 11 eventually returned to prison.
Shah’s latest parole order does not overturn his conviction or sentence and is subject to the conditions imposed by the Gujarat High Court.
