During anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat state in 2002, the men, who were part of a Hindu mob, were given life sentences for attacking Bilkis Bano and killing 14 members of her family.
But in August 2022, the government of Gujarat ordered their release.
Worldwide indignation resulted from the decree and the festivities upon their release from jail.
When Ms. Bano learned that the decision to liberate her attackers had been overturned, she claimed to have “wept tears of relief”. “For giving me, my children, and women everywhere this vindication and hope in the promise of equal justice for all,” she expressed her gratitude to the Supreme Court.
The individuals had been prosecuted and found guilty in a court in the neighboring state of Maharashtra, therefore the two-judge Supreme Court bench, presided over by Justice BV Nagarathna, decided that the state of Gujarat was “not competent” to grant the remission order in the case.
It is anticipated that the historic ruling will cause a stir, particularly in Gujarat, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was chief minister during the riots and faced criticism for not doing enough to stop the bloodshed. He has never shown regret for the events of the riots and has consistently denied any guilt.
The state government of Gujarat had requested permission from the federal government to free the individuals who had been convicted of attacking Ms. Bano and her family. It was approved by the home ministry, which is headed by Amit Shah, a close ally to Mr. Modi.
The 11 men, who were initially found guilty by a trial court in 2008, had been incarcerated for over 14 years when their good behavior and age were taken into account, according to state officials testifying in court. Relatives showered the men with sweets and touched their feet as a sign of appreciation when they were released from Godhra jail in 2022, treating them like heroes.
Because of their “heinous, grave, and serious” act, federal prosecutors had claimed that they should not be “released prematurely and no leniency may be shown” to them.