In a recent update the Supreme Court is scheduled to consider the appeals of the individuals involved in the Bilkis Bano Case, who requested additional time to surrender before the court, on Friday.

Seven out of the 11 convicted individuals have submitted a plea to the Supreme Court, seeking an extension of their surrender deadline. The convicts, who were ordered by the apex court to surrender within two weeks, have requested an additional four to six weeks before turning themselves in to the jail authorities.

The urgency of the matter prompted the lawyers representing the convicts to make an urgent mention before a bench headed by Justice B V Nagarathna. They highlighted that the current surrender deadline is set to expire on Sunday and urged the bench to take up the case promptly. Consequently, the bench directed the registry to place the case before the Chief Justice of India for an urgent hearing.

It is noteworthy that on January 8, the Supreme Court had nullified the order passed by the Gujarat government, which had granted early release to the 11 men convicted in the case. The convicts were found guilty of gang-raping Bilkis Bano and murdering seven members of her family during the 2002 riots. The apex court's ruling mandated that all 11 individuals surrender to the jail authorities within the stipulated two-week timeframe.

The convicts, in their individual pleas, presented diverse reasons for seeking an extension. Govindhbhai Nai cited domestic responsibilities, emphasizing that both his parents were dependent on him, with his father being 88 years old and his mother 75. Ramesh Rupabhai Chandana highlighted the need to make arrangements for his son's wedding, while Mitesh Chimanlal Bhat mentioned the readiness of his winter produce for harvest.

Pradip Ramanlal Modhiya, who recently underwent lung surgery, argued that he required additional time for recovery. Bipinchand Kaniyalal Joshi, who had undergone leg surgery, claimed partial handicap as a result and sought an extension. Jaswant Chaturbhai Nai and Radheyshyam Bhagwandas Shah also approached the Supreme Court, seeking extended surrender periods to complete the harvest of winter crops.