Eleven convicts in the Bilkis Bano rape case have surrendered before the Godhra jail authorities late night on Sunday, January 21, adhering to the Supreme Court's specified two-week deadline. The court had invalidated the remission and premature release granted to them by the Gujarat government on August 15, 2022.
The surrendered convicts include Bakabhai Vohania, Bipin Chandra Joshi, Kesarbhai Vohania, Govind Nai, Jaswant Nai, Mitesh Bhatt, Pradeep Mordhiya, Radheshyam Shah, Rajubhai Soni, Ramesh Chandana, and Shailesh Bhatt.
Most of the convicts arrived in a 10-seater multi-utility vehicle, followed by an SUV, both entering the jail premises within minutes of each other. District police officials confirmed the tracking and escorting of all 11 accused into the jail. According to the Indian Express, multiple units of police personnel from the Panchmahal district police were deployed for security outside the Godhra sub-jail on January 21 in anticipation of the surrender. The authorities at the Godhra sub-jail confirmed that the 11 convicts surrendered at 11.45 pm.
This development comes two days after the Supreme Court dismissed their petitions, which sought more time to surrender, citing reasons such as ill-health, a family wedding, and crop harvest. The court noted that these reasons had no merit. On January 8, the Supreme Court had overturned the Gujarat government's decision from August 2022, ordering the 11 convicts, released prematurely on Independence Day, to return to jail within two weeks.