The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the prosecution to file a status report within two weeks on the pending appeal of Shahid alias Billi, one of the five individuals serving life imprisonment in the 2010 Dhaula Kuan gang rape case.

The case pertains to the abduction and gang rape of a BPO employee, who was forcibly taken from Moti Bagh and later abandoned in Mangolpuri. All accused were members of the Mewati gang.

Justice Girish Kathpalia, while issuing notice on Shahid’s plea, also sought a nominal roll from the jail authorities, noting that the petitioner has been in custody for nearly 13 years without any remission. The matter is scheduled to be heard by the appropriate bench on July 29.

In related proceedings, the High Court granted Shahid a temporary exemption from surrendering after the expiry of his furlough, originally sanctioned by the government. The exemption was sought on humanitarian grounds, citing the critical health condition of Shahid’s minor daughter, who is undergoing treatment for cancer.

The Court took cognizance of the medical documents and photographs submitted in support of the plea and observed that filing a fresh furlough application would result in procedural delays. Considering the petitioner’s prolonged incarceration and the urgency of the circumstances, the Court granted the exemption while clarifying that the relief was specific to the facts of this case and should not be treated as a precedent.

Shahid, along with co-accused Shamshad alias Khutkan, Usman alias Kale, Iqbal alias Billi, and Kamruddin alias Kamru, was convicted by the Dwarka Sessions Court on October 14, 2014. Their convictions were later upheld by the Delhi High Court in 2018.