New Delhi: Supreme Court judge Bela M Trivedi has recused herself from hearing the cases filed against the early release of 11 convicts in the Bilgis Banu gang rape case.
During the 2002 Gujarat riots, Bilgis Banu was gang-raped and her family murdered in front of her. 11 accused and sentenced in this case had their sentences reduced and they were released early.
The PILs filed against this came up for hearing on Wednesday in a bench comprising Justices Ajay Rastogi and Bela M Trivedi. Judge Bela M Trivedi said that he would recuse himself from the hearings of these cases.
Following this, a bench comprising Justices Ajay Rastogi and Bela M Trivedi ordered that these cases be listed in a bench without Justice Bela M Trivedi.
Justice Ajay Rastogi said, “Since my sister wants to recuse herself from hearing these cases, we cannot issue an order to join these cases together. Now the victim is here. We are taking the victim’s case as priority. These cases should be listed in the absence of Justice Trivediri. When they are listed in another session, the cases will be joined together. will be connected,” he said.
Earlier, the petition filed by Bilgis Banu against the early release of 11 people came up for hearing on December 13. Even then, Judge Bela M Trivedi recused himself from the trial.
