A special CBI court in Mumbai on January 18 convicted 12 persons in the Gujarat 2002 Bilqis Bano gang-rape case. Bilqis, who was six months pregnant, was gang-raped. Later, her baby daughter and 13 other relatives were butchered by the rioters. Bilqis was among a group of 17 persons travelling from Chaparwad to Panivela on March 3, 2002 when they were attacked. The case was shifted from Gujarat to Mumbai in 2003 by Supreme Court after the victim and witnesses of the case were reportedly threatened. The court held 12 persons guilty including police officials for one of the most shocking incident of violence after Best Bakery incident in Gujarat riots. Seven persons were acquitted by the court due to lack of evidence while one died during the course of trial. The quantum of the sentence for those convicted would be announced by Special Judge Mr. U. D Salvi on January 21.
The court held that Jaswantbai Nai, Govindbhai Nai, Naresh Kumar Mordhiya (deceased) raped the victim while Shalesh Bhatt killed her daughter, Saleha by “smashing” her on the ground. The others convicted are Radheshyam Shah, Bipin Chandra Joshi, Kesarbhai Vohania, Pradeep Vohania, Bakabhai Vohania, Rajubhai Soni, Nitesh Bhatt, Ramesh Chandana and Somabhai, Head Constable of Limkheda police station.