One of the 11 life convicts released in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case has challenged the petitions filed in the Supreme Court against their remission as the “grossest abuse” of law.
Radheyshyam Bhagwandas Shah was one of the 11 convicts undergoing life sentence in the Bilkis case and prematurely released by the Gujarat government in August.
The State’s decision and release amid much fanfare had triggered a furious public debate, which also saw several prominent citizens file writ petitions in the Supreme Court to cancel the remission order.
Now, Shah alias Lala Vakil has filed a counter affidavit in the apex court, questioning the locus standi of these “third parties”.
He said the petitioners plead they do not have a copy of the remission order, yet they challenge it without ascertaining the reasons for grant of remission.
Shah said the writ petitions were “speculative” and did state a single ground in favour of quashing the remission order.
His response came in a petition filed by CPI(M) leader Subhashini Ali, independent journalist and filmmaker Revati Laul and former philosophy professor and activist Roop Rekh Varma against the convicts’ release on August 5.
