Bilkis Bano case: Felicitating rape convicts in 'absolute bad taste', says judge who presided over trial

A storm of criticism has blown across India ever since 11 men, convicted in a gang-rape and murder case during the riots in the western state of Gujarat, were released under a remission policy by the state government. The fact that they were felicitated by certain Hindu right-wing minds made the backlash even worse.

Now, the judge who convicted the men in 2008 spoke out on the matter on Tuesday (22) said while granting remission of sentence is within the government's powers, felicitating the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case by some people was distasteful.

U D Salvi, now a retired judge, said at 'Solidarity with Bilkis Bano', an event organised by 'United Against Injustice and Discrimination' in Mumbai in the western state of Maharashtra, "I don't think I did anything special (in convicting them). My judgment was my duty."

"The state has the right to grant remission. It's a power given to the state under law," Salvi was quoted as saying by Press Trust of India. He added that he can not comment on the decision to release the convicts prematurely as he had not seen the relevant reports and did not know what factors were considered.

"But their felicitation (by some people) was in absolute bad taste. The convicts themselves should not have accepted felicitation," Salvi said to a question by reporters.

The convicts walked out of Godhra sub-jail after the Gujarat government allowed their release on August 15.

The trial was shifted to Mumbai by the Supreme Court in 2004 after Bano claimed that she was receiving threats. A special court for CBI cases here, presided over by Salvi, sentenced the accused to life imprisonment on January 21, 2008.

Salvi also said that he wanted to read his judgment again as it had been a long time ago, but "the judgment is not available."

The remission granted by the Gujarat government to the convicts has been challenged before the Supreme Court following protests over their release.