Bilkis bano case: Quantum of sentence on Jan 21

Mumbai, Jan 20: The special CBI court will pronounce the quantum of sentence tomorrow against 13 accused, including a policeman, who have been convicted in the Bilkis Bano gangrape and massacre case that occurred in Dahod district of Gujarat in the aftermath of the 2002 Godhra carnage.

Special CBI Judge U D Salvi, who presided over the case here on friday, found the 13 accused guilty. He will technically pronounce the quantum of sentence against them. One of the accused Naresh Mordhiya died after a prolonged illness in the state-run J J Hospital during the trial. Judge Salvi, however, acquitted seven others, including a doctor couple, who had been charged with tampering with the evidence.

Fourteen members of the victims family were killed in the massacre. Bilkis Bano, who was six months pregnant at that time, had survived the attack.

The convicted accused are Jaswant Chatur Nai, Govind Nai, Naresh Ramlal Mordhiya, Shailesh Chimanlal Bhatt, Radheshyam Bhagwandas Shah alias Lala Vakil, Bipinchandra Kanaiyalal Joshi alias Lala Doctor, Keshar Khima Vohania, Pradip Ramanlal Mordhiya, Baka Khima Vohania, Raju Babulal Soni, Mitesh Chimanlal Bhatt, Ramesh Chandana and Soma Koya Ghori.

The case was transferred to Maharashtra from Gujarat following a Supreme Court directive, after Bilkis Bano expressed doubts over a fair trial in Gujarat.

UNI