Those who tampered with evidence in Bilkis Bano case shouldn’t be in service: SC

The Supreme court gave Gujarat government four weeks to clarify its stand. instructions were issued after Bilkis Bano’s lawyer told the court that the policemen who botched up the probe were back on duty.

The Supreme Court on Monday said the policemen and doctors found guilty of tampering with evidence in the 2002 Bilkis Bano gang rape should not be in service and gave the Gujarat government four weeks to clarify its stand.

Bikis Bano with her husband Yakub Rasool. Eleven men were convicted for raping Bano – who was then five-months pregnant - and murdering seven of her family members in 2002. (AP file photo)

The instructions were issued after Bano’s lawyer told the court that the policemen who botched up the probe were back on duty even as she asked for a higher compensation.

The court asked the Gujarat government if a disciplinary inquiry had been initiated against the seven persons -- five policemen and two doctors – found guilty of failing to performing their duty and tampering with evidence by the Bombay high court.

The government said the men had served their sentence but the court questioned its move to reinstate the police officers.

The court also asked Bano to file a separate plea for higher compensation in a lower court.

The Bombay high court had fined each of the convicts Rs 55,000 and directed that the money be paid to Bano by way of compensation.

Bano and 16 members of her family were attacked by a mob on March 3, 2002 at Randhikpur village in Gujarat’s Dahod district as communal violence swept the state.

Seven members were killed and 19-year-old Bano, who was five months pregnant, was gang-raped. Six other members managed to escape the mob.

The high court had on May 4, 2017 upheld life sentences to 11 men for raping Bano and convicted seven people for tampering evidence.