Cong seeks CBI probe into fake encounters in Gujrat

New Delhi, Apr 26 (UNI) Terming the killing of two people in fake encounter by Gujarat police a ''very serious matter'', the Congress today demanded a CBI probe into the incident and resignation of the state Home Minister.

''Gujarat government is in the dock on the basis of the report filed in the Supreme Court by the state government,'' Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said briefing mediapersons in the Parliament premises here.

Mr Singhvi said the party was not demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Narendra Modi as he was too ''thick skinned'' to yield to the demands for his resignation.

Regarding the gravity of the situation there was no justification for the State police to probe the matter as there was every possibility of a ''cover up''. Hence, no less than a CBI inquiry was called for and every right thinking person should join in making such a demand, he said.

Mr Singhvi charged that ever since Mr Modi became the Chief Minister there had been as many as 22 fake encounters.

In most of these cases, the Chief Minister's right hand man had been involved who had projected such encounters as operation to safeguard the Chief Minister from potential attackers. ''The latest encounters are a test case,'' he added.

The Congress spokesman said when the party members tried to raise the matter in Parliament today they were understandably shouted down. ''Greater the disruption, greater is the reflection of obvious guilt,'' he said.

He said Sohrabuddin and his wife were picked up by a police officer of the DIG rank. They were taken to a farm house ostensibly on complaint from Rajasthan police, a state which is coincidently is ruled by the same party.

The man was disposed of in the name of encounter on the plea that he wanted to kill Mr Modi, thereby ''glorifying'' him.

His wife is still missing, Mr Singhvi said adding the party had reasons to believe that she was raped. ''We want it to get established by a probe by an independent agency.'' UNI