Quantum of sentence in Bilkis Bano rape case today

Mumbai, Jan 21 : A special court in Mumbai will today pronounce the quantum of sentence to 13 persons, who were convicted in connection with the 2002 Bilkis Bano gang-rape case related to the post-Godhra communal violence.

On Friday, the court had convicted the 13 accused, including a police official, while acquitting seven others.

While Godhra riots were going on in March 2002 following the Sabarmati Express-train carnage, the then six-month pregnant Bilkis Bano was gang-raped and beaten up in Randhikpur town, 250 km from Ahmedabad.

In the gory incident, as many as 17 members of her family were attacked, in which eight were killed and six went missing.

The trial began in January 2005.

After the Gujarat Government had closed her case and granted bail to all the accused, Bilkis had moved the Supreme Court which transferred the case to the special Mumbai court on April 6, 2004.

ANI