The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the Gujarat government to pay compensation worth Rs 50 lakh to Gujarat riots victim Bilkis Bano within two weeks, on contempt plea filed by Bano. The apex court has also ordered the Gujarat government to give her a job and accommodation as well. The compensation was awarded by the top court earlier this year in April.
The SC bench was headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi. The state government represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that it wants to seek a review of the earlier order by the apex court and wants the court to reconsider its directive as a precedent.
The CJI replied, “We make it clear that our order was in view of the particular facts and will not be a precedent. Now you pay her the compensation within two weeks. We are giving you two weeks although you may not even need that much time.”
During the Gujarat riots in 2002, Bilkis Bano was gang raped 22 times, she was pregnant at that time, and she even witnessed her 3.2 years old daughter smashed to death and several of her family members were killed.