The eleven persons accused of gang raping an Indian Muslim woman, Bikis Bano during the 2002 Gujarat Riots, who were sentenced to life imprisonment in 2002 by CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) Court walked free on the 76th Independence Day i.e. 15 August out of the Godhra sub-jail after the government of Gujarat approved their release under its remission policy.
"A committee formed a few months back took a unanimous decision in favour of remission of all the 11 convicts in the case. The recommendation was sent to the state government, and yesterday we received the orders for their release," said Sujal Mayatra, Panchmahals Collector, who was presiding over the panel, as per PTI.
Visuals of them walking free surfaced on social media on Tuesday, which showed them being felicitated, as locals touched their feet, offered them sweets, and conducted a tilak ceremony.
All of the accused were sentenced to life imprisonment on 21 January 2008 by a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Mumbai on charges of gang rape and murder of seven members of Bilkis Bano's family.
The mob had gang-raped Bano while she was pregnant and killed seven members of her family, including her three-year-old daughter during the Gujarat riots in 2002.