All 11 men convicted of the gang rape of a woman and murder of her family members returned to jail in India’s western state of Gujarat minutes before a deadline set by the country’s top court expired late on Sunday.
The men were found guilty of raping Bilkis Bano during sectarian riots in Gujarat in 2002 and sentenced to life in prison. They were released on August 15 last year – India’s Independence Day – after being granted remission by the Gujarat government, a move that caused nationwide outrage.
Ms Bano, a Muslim, was sexually assaulted and 14 of her family members, including her three-year-old daughter, were killed by a Hindu mob during one of the deadliest episodes of religious violence in the country since its independence. She was five-months pregnant at the time.
Ms Bano challenged the state's decision in the Supreme Court, which on January 8 overturned the men's release and ordered them to return to jail. The court said the Gujarat government had no power to grant the release and that it "usurped" powers.
The men arrived at the Godhra sub-jail in Panchmahal district at about 11.30pm local time on Sunday amid a heavy police presence.
Some of the men requested more time before surrendering to authorities, giving reasons including a family wedding and the demands of the harvest season, but the court rejected their efforts on Friday.
The men were convicted of mass murder and violent sexual assault in 2008 by a special court in Mumbai, in neighbouring Maharashtra state, in a case that made international headlines.
The were given life sentences, which can range from 14 to 30 years in India, in a ruling upheld by the Bombay High Court in 2017. Their convictions were later upheld by the Supreme Court, which awarded Ms Bano five million rupees ($62,000) in compensation in 2019.
One of the offenders, Radheshyam Shah, asked the Supreme Court court for remission, saying he served more than 15 years in prison.
The court asked the state government to make a decision and it announced the release of the 11 men based on their “age, nature of the crime and behaviour in prison”.
But this month the Supreme Court said the ruling last year, which was issued by a different bench, was incorrect.
The release of the 11 men last year sparked anger across the country and women's protests in the capital New Delhi. Images and videos showing them being given sweets and garlands outside jail led to widespread condemnation and street protests.
More than 6,000 Indians, including writers, activists and former government officials, signed a petition urging the judiciary to revoke their release.
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: BorrowMe (BorrowMe.com)
Date started: August 2021
Founder: Nour Sabri
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace
Size: Two employees
Funding stage: Seed investment
Initial investment: $200,000
Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East)
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
OIL PLEDGE
At the start of Russia's invasion, IEA member countries held 1.5 billion barrels in public reserves and about 575 million barrels under obligations with industry, according to the agency's website. The two collective actions of the IEA this year of 62.7 million barrels, which was agreed on March 1, and this week's 120 million barrels amount to 9 per cent of total emergency reserves, it added.
The biog
Hobbies: Salsa dancing “It's in my blood” and listening to music in different languages
Favourite place to travel to: “Thailand, as it's gorgeous, food is delicious, their massages are to die for!”
Favourite food: “I'm a vegetarian, so I can't get enough of salad.”
Favourite film: “I love watching documentaries, and am fascinated by nature, animals, human anatomy. I love watching to learn!”
Best spot in the UAE: “I fell in love with Fujairah and anywhere outside the big cities, where I can get some peace and get a break from the busy lifestyle”
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Bio:
Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour
Favourite Hobby: Serving poor people
Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite food: Fish and vegetables
Favourite place to visit: London
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
SPECS
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Read more about the coronavirus
SPECS
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
The 10 Questions
- Is there a God?
- How did it all begin?
- What is inside a black hole?
- Can we predict the future?
- Is time travel possible?
- Will we survive on Earth?
- Is there other intelligent life in the universe?
- Should we colonise space?
- Will artificial intelligence outsmart us?
- How do we shape the future?
SPECS
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
