The Government of the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi approved the release of 11 men sentenced to life imprisonment for group rape of a Muslim woman and killing her family members during religious riots in Gujarat in 2002.
A letter with approval from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of India, which is headed by a close assistant to Modi Amit Shah, was downloaded to the social networks by The Leaflet Legal Site, reports TRT in Russian.
Bilkis Bano, who was now over forty, was in the fifth month of pregnancy, when in 2002 (Modi was then the chief minister of Gudzharat), she abused during the inter -communal clashes. Almost 2000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed as a result of one of the most cruel acts of violence in the history of India. According to the written indications under the oath presented by the Gudzharat government in the Supreme Court, the state said that his decision to release the convicts was based on the fact that they had been in prison for 14 years, where they were noted with good behavior.
The Supreme Court demanded that the state government make documents on pardon provided to rapists after numerous petitions filed against their release.
According to another document published by The Leaflet, the state government decided to release the prisoners, despite objections from the Central Bureau of Investigations, the head of which said that it was impossible to show condescension and that the crimes were “terrible, serious and serious.”
11 people were sentenced to life imprisonment in the case of group rape and murder in 2008. Fourteen members of the Bano family were killed as a result of violence, including her three -year -old daughter. The convicts were released in August, which coincided with the 75th anniversary of India’s independence.
The leaders of the opposition criticized the ruling party for violating women’s rights and a biased attitude towards Muslims. Observers believe that the liberation of the killers and rapists has become a message to Modi to Hindu chauvinists on the eve of the elections in Gujarat.