In a significant development, all 11 convicts in the infamous 2002 Bilkis Bano gangrape case surrendered at the Godhra sub jail in Panchmahal district of Gujarat on Sunday night. This move comes in compliance with the Supreme Court's enforced deadline, which had ordered the convicts to surrender by January 21, 2024.

The Supreme Court had issued the directive on January 8, instructing the individuals, who were prematurely released on Independence Day in 2022, to turn themselves in. Despite their pleas for additional time citing reasons such as health issues, impending surgery, family weddings, and agricultural commitments, the court firmly refused to grant an extension.

Local Crime Branch inspector NL Desai confirmed the surrender, stating, "All 11 convicts have surrendered before jail authorities late Sunday night."

The convicts involved in the case are Bakabhai Vohania, Bipin Chandra Joshi, Kesarbhai Vohania, Govind Nai, Jaswant Nai, Mitesh Bhatt, Pradeep Mordhiya, Radheshyam Shah, Rajubhai Soni, Ramesh Chandana, and Shailesh Bhatt.

The heinous crime took place in 2002 when Bilkis Bano, aged 21 and five months pregnant, was subjected to a brutal gang-rape while attempting to escape the horrors of the communal riots triggered by the Godhra train burning incident in February of that year.

Despite the convicts' various reasons for seeking a postponement of their surrender, the Supreme Court dismissed their pleas, emphasizing that the cited justifications had no merit.