Bilkis Bano case: During parole, convict Bhatt was booked for outraging modesty

New Delhi, October 19

One of the convicts in the Bilkis Bano rape case, Mitesh Chimanlal Bhatt, who was released for “good behaviour”, is an accused in a case of outraging a woman’s modesty while out on parole during June 2020, revealed the annexure of an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court by the Gujarat Government.

According to the annexure, a copy of which is with The Tribune, the District Magistrate, Dahod, was informed by the district Superintendent of Police about the case when the Gujarat Government was considering the proposal to release 11 convicts, including Bhatt, on remission after 14 years of imprisonment.

Bhatt (57) was booked under Sections 354, 504 and 506 (2) of the IPC in June 2020 by the Randhikpur police and a chargesheet had been filed in the case, it said, adding that the trial was pending. Till May 25 this year, Bhatt had “enjoyed 954 days of parole, furlough leave” in the Bilkis Bano case.

Incidentally, even after the registration of the FIR in 2020, he was out of prison for 281 days, the official documents revealed.

In the FIR and the police complaint, Bhatt was accused of “threatening and harassing witnesses” and “outraging a woman’s modesty” while out on parole, which runs contrary to the “good behaviour” justification given by the Gujarat Government.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs approved the early release of 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano rape case in August this year, the Gujarat Government disclosed in its affidavit. In a follow up on Tuesday, the Supreme Court remarked that the counter-affidavit to pleas challenging the remission was very bulky wherein a series of judgments had been quoted, but factual statements were missing.

The convicts were freed on August 15 and greeted with garlands and sweets like heroes outside a jail in Gujarat.

Trial pending

• Mitesh Chimanlal Bhatt was booked in June 2020 for outraging the modesty of a woman while on parole
• Chargesheet filed in case, trial pending; till May 25 this year, he had “enjoyed 954 days of parole, furlough leave”in the Bilkis Bano case