The Hindu : National : Bilkis case accused denied bail

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Thursday, Dec 09, 2004

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National

Bilkis case accused denied bail

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI, DEC. 8. Fifteen accused in the Bilkis Bano case were denied bail today. The Additional Sessions judge, U.D. Salvi, who is hearing the case, said it would be unwise to enlarge them on bail in the present circumstances.

Twenty persons were arrested in connection with the case of gang rape and murder of Bilkis Bano which took place at Chapparwad village, in Dahod district on March 3, 2002. The court saidthere was apossibility of evidence being tampered with if bail was granted.

The Special Public Prosecutor, R.K. Shah, said that when the accused had applied for bail after the charge sheet was filed, the earlier judge had given a detailed order. The circumstances had not changed and there was prima facie evidence against them.Mr. Shah also said the investigation of the case was not satisfactory till the CBI took over following an order of the Supreme Court.

In the case of one of the accused Bipin Joshi who is physically challenged, Mr. Shah said the Gujarat Government had sanctioned money for his treatment. The defence counsel, Mr. Gopal Singh Solanki, argued that Bipin Joshi could never have committed the crime of gang rape and murder as he was affected with vascular necrosis with premature degenerative osteo arthritis of the hip. Six of those who applied for bail were policemen and government servants against whom there was no prima facie case, he said.

Two of the accused Jaswant Nai and Govindbhai Nai had applied temporary bail for six days to attend the last rites of their relatives. However, they were denied bail.

Another accused, Arun Kumar, has filed a discharge application, which will be heard on December 10.

The charges against him are yet to be framed. Mr. Shah said that all these matters had to be disposed of before the charges could be framed.

The defence plans to appeal in the High Court against the denial of bail.

The trial of one of the accused Sangita Prasad has already been separated from the rest, on grounds of her mental illness.

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