Bilkis Bano case: SC asks Gujarat govt to act against IPS officer

New Delhi:  The Supreme Court Friday asked the Gujarat government to take disciplinary action in two weeks against the erring police officials, including an IPS officer, convicted by the Bombay high court in the sensational Bilkis Bano gangrape case during the 2002 riots in the state.

Besides, Bano in a plea before the top court sought exemplary compensation from the state government,  refusing to accept its offer of `5 lakh.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna asked the Gujarat government to complete the disciplinary action within two weeks initiated against the erring officials indicted by the Bombay high court.

“On the statement made by the Solicitor General, Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state of Gujarat, that the proceedings for disciplinary action against the erring officers will be completed within two weeks, we adjourn the matter for two weeks,” the bench said. The top court, terming the `5 lakh compensation offered by the Gujarat government ‘interim’, said the plea for exemplary compensation will be heard on April 23.

At the outset, advocate Shobha Gupta, appearing for Bano, said that no action has been taken by the state government against the erring officials, who were convicted by the high court.

She said that one IPS officer, currently serving in Gujarat is set to retire this year.