The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the bail applications of two rapists of Bilkis Bano

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has rejected the bail applications of two gang-rape victims of Bilkis Bano. A bench of Justices Sanjeev Khanna and Sanjay Kumar on Friday ruled that interim bail could not be granted to petitioners Radheshyam Bhagwandas and Rajubhai Babulal. But earlier this year, the Supreme Court ordered the rapists to go back to jail and 11 of them surrendered to Godhra jail. Last March, Bhagbandas and Babulal had moved for the matter to be referred to a larger bench.

In such circumstances, the judges today described the appeal as “completely wrong” and asked, “How can an appeal be made against the verdict of the bench?” The lawyers of the two rapists then sought leave to withdraw the petition and the Supreme Court agreed. On the same day, Justice Sanjeev Khanna wondered how the case could be heard in the public interest. Incidentally, on August 15, 2022, the 76th Independence Day, the Gujarat government released the rapists of Bilkis.