Should carry the law justice with Judge UD Salvi (ret.) said on Tuesday while responding to the point he granted forgiveness for 11 men convicted for gang rape of Bilkis Banu and murder of to her family Members during the 2002 Gujarat riots were done as per the law.
Judge Salvi also He said that the convicts accepting congratulations from local leaders after their release showed that there was unlikely to be reform in they.
Eleven accused have been released last A week later from Gujarat government panel He accepted their request for forgiveness of They rule for life. presided over by Judge Salvi over Trial and sentencing in 2008, 11 . conviction men.
to treat media on Tuesday, Judge Salvi said decision should It must be reviewed and decided on a fair basis on All facts are before the authorities. “When it is said that decision for Early release was according to law, it means two things. that it more than just the law. the law is vehicle for justice. In the end, he must hold the law justice with He said “.
He said that the implementation of The penalty decided by the court is responsibility of The governmentWhich also You should consider guarantees for the victim.
Referring to videos and photos on social media Where convicts were seen congratulating after their release, Judge Salvi said this was not true.
“Punishment is not for revenge or retribution alone. It is to achieve reform. How one know If the person has repaired? If it is the same says He accepts what he did wrong. If it is considered in granting Released, it is understandable. But it doesn’t look like that in This issue. they (convicts) should Honors not accepted on release them. They could have said we accept forgiveness but not congratulations,” he said.
Judge Salvi also He said that if they were released made in issue For Hindus, he was denigrating Hindutva. And if they are said to be innocent, they are not commit He said that the crimes, and thus honoring them, are to discredit the judiciary, which issued the verdicts convicting them.
said the verdict in The case was a part of for him duty As a judge and didn’t feel like he did anything special. “I feel happy that I presided over over He said. Judge Salvi added that 11 men They were convicted and the Bombay High Court and High Court upheld their sentences.
“The question here is, when a case is subject to such legal scrutiny, how should a government arrive Then decision for Forgiveness for those who booked? “
Judge Salvi said that the law has provisions for Forgiveness but you must follow the instructions. “If this is not done, it can lead to injustice. In this case, I don’t know on What is the basis? decision Taking. He was asked if my opinion was taken as president who I passed the verdict, I would want To say it wasn’t,” he said.
he is also He said that since the case was investigated by the CBI, it might be the case required to take the government’s opinion as well. Judge Salvi said he did not know whether or not this had been done, and what the government had reacted. “While giving remission, it is necessary for The government to look at the victim crime committed and the punishment given. I don’t think it was done as I heard that file rules of remission dating back To 1992 was followed and not more The last 2014 where you did not do the last allow Benefit of forgiveness in Judge Salvi said that such crimes government I was required to consider the change in Policies.
Judge Abhay Tepsi (retired) said the Supreme Court had referred the case to Mumbai from Gujarat in 2004 for fair trial and decision to grant forgiveness should also It was by Maharashtra government, not Gujarat government.
