Tuesday, February 22 2005 20:34 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: Bilkis Bano, prime witness in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case, is today (Feb 22, 2005) understood to have identified in the trial court 12 accused who had allegedly outraged her modesty and assaulted her and members of her family at Dahod in Gujarat on March 3, 2002.

She deposed before the court in-camera and named 12 of the total 20 accused who were in the dock.

The 12 accused identified by Bilkis are charged with rape and murder while eight others are charged with shielding the guilty.

Of these eight, two are a doctor-couple who performed the postmortem of the victims while six others are police officers.

Special public prosecutor R K Shah told reporters that Bilkis pointed at the accused who had allegedly gangraped her and also those who had killed her three-year-old daughter and attributed roles to each of the accused in the crime.

The accused identified by Bilkis Bano in the court were Jaswantbhai Chaturbhai Nai, Govindbhai Nai, Naresh Kumar Ramanlal Mordhiya, Shailesh Chimanlal Bhatt, Radheshyam Bhagwandas Shah, Bipin Chandra Kanyalal Joshi alias Lala Doctor, Kesarbhai Khimabhai Vohania, Pradeepbhai Ramanlal Mordhiya, Bakabhai Khimabhai Vohania, Rajubhai Babulal Soni, Mitesh Chimanlal Bhatt, Ramesh Chandra.

Bilkis could not recognise the policemen but gave their names to the trial court. She also recognised the clothes she was wearing on the day of the incident of gangrape and assault.

During her deposition today, Bilkis fully supported the prosecution. The examination-in-chief of Bilkis Bano was nearly over and the cross-examination is expected to begin tomorrow, prosecutor R K Shah said.

Meanwhile, the prosecution has sought time from the court till March 9 to reply to the bail petitions filed by six police officials and Dr Sangeeta Prasad.

Another accused Dr Arun Prasad, who is out on bail, has moved a discharge petition in the High court and it is likely to come up on March 3.

On January 13, the court had framed charges against the accused for their alleged complicity in attacking a group of 17 members of minority community, including Bilkis Bano, in Devgarh Baria village of Dahod district on March 3, 2002 in the aftermath of Godhra train carnage.

Of the 17 victims, eight were killed while six others were reported missing and three - Bilkis Bano, master Hussain and Sadaam - survived the attack.