13 convicted in Bilkis Banu rape case

A Mumbai sessions court has convicted 13 people in the infamous Bilkis Bano case, in which a five-month pregnant woman was gangraped and beaten up by a mob during the post-Godhra riots in Gujarat in 2002.

The court will pronounce the quantum of punishment for the convicts on Monday.

The rape and killings took place between February 28, 2002, and March 5, 2002, at village in Devgarh Baria village of Dahod district in Gujarat.

There were 20 accused in case, including six policemen, who were charged with shielding the guilty. While five policemen were acquitted, one has been held guilty.

The cops were booked for allegedly entering into a criminal conspiracy, suppressing and destroying evidence, and falsifying records.

The 13 who have been convicted are: police officer Somabhai Khoyabhai Gori, Jaswantbhai Chaturbhai Nai, Govindbhai Nai, Shailesh Chimanlal Bhatt, Radheshyam Bhagwandas Shah alias Lala Vakil, Bipinchandra Kanaiyalal Joshi alias Lala Doctor, Kedharbhai Khimabhai Vohania, Pradip Ramanlal Mordhiya, Bakabhai Khimabhai Vohania, Rajubhai Babulal Soni, Mitesh Chimanlal Bhatt, Ramesh Rupabhai Chandania and Naresh Modia, who died during the pendency of trial.

Narpatsingh Ranchodbhai, Idris Abdul Sayyed, Bhikhabhai Ramjibhai Patel and BS Bhagoria are the police officials who have been acquitted.

The accused included Jaswantbhai Chaturbhai Nai, Govindbhai Nai, Nilesh Ramlal Mordhiya, Shailesh Chimanlal Bhatt, Radheshyam Bhagwandas Shah alias Lala Vakil, Bipinchandra Kanaiyalal Joshi alias Lala Doctor, Kedharbhai Khimabhai Vohania, Pradip Ramanlal Mordhiya, Bakabhai Khimabhai Vohania, Rajubhai Babulal Soni, Mitesh Chimanlal Bhatt, Ramesh Rupabhai Chandania, Narpatsingh Ranchodbhai, Idris Abdul Sayyed, Bhikhabhai Ramjibhai Patel, Ramsingh Mitlibhai Bhabhor, Somabhai Koyabhai Ghori, BS Bhagoria and Dr Arunkumar Ramkrishan Prasad.

Special Judge UD Salvi pronounced the verdict, convicting the 13 under Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder) and 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Judge Salvi, who had been assigned by the Bombay High Court to conduct the trial in the case following the Supreme Court's directive, had been transferred in the interim. But, the High Court had asked Salvi to conclude the verdict by December 31, 2007.

News Source : IBN Live