SC Refuses To Stay IPS Officer Conviction In Bilkis Bano Case:- The Supreme Court (SC) today has refused to grant a stay on the conviction of the Indian Police Service (IPS) officer R S Bhagora in the Bilkis Bano case.

There is no urgency in the matter, as the convicted officer has already undergone the sentence, said the apex court bench of justices headed by A.K. Sikri and Deepak Gupta. The plea of the IPS officer has been listed by the court, for the second week of July, observing the fine of Rs 15,000 only.

Recently, the Bombay High Court has convicted the IPS officer, along with four other policemen, after the trial court had acquitted them. Bhagora currently serves in Gujarat. If the conviction is not stayed, then he will be terminated from the service as per the service rules, said the counsel appearing for Bhagora. The court should grant stay on the conviction, said the counsel.

During the 2002 Gujarat Riots, Bilkis Bano was gang raped by a group of men. At that time, Bilkis was 19-years old and was pregnant. The group of men brutalized Bano and her family had been killed in front of her.

On May 4, the CBI’s plea was rejected by the Bombay High Court, which sought the death sentence for the three accused in the case. Moreover, the High Court also upheld the life sentence of the 11 convicts (one convict is dead). Along with five policemen, two doctors were also convicted by the High Court.

SUPRAJA