Cong reiterates allegations, urges CBI probe in fake encounter

AHMEDABAD: Demanding a CBI inquiry into the fake encounter case, the Congress on Monday reiterated its allegation that the encounter of Soharabuddin Sheikh and murder of his wife was carried out under political patronage.

The Congress said if Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi wanted to come clean then he should welcome a CBI probe.

"Since names of the state chief minister and Rajasthan-based BJP leaders have cropped up in the encounter case, the state government should allow CBI inquiry to prove its leaders' innocence," Congress leader and Union Textile Minister Shankarsinh Vaghela told reporters.

"No encounter takes place without political patronage and in this case a meeting was held at the residence of the chief minister to give a go ahead for the encounter," Vaghela alleged.

"Wife of Soharabuddin, Kausar Bi, and his friend Tulsiram Prajapati were also killed by police to get rid of the witnessess," Vaghela added.

He alleged that money was exchanged for the encounter.

"The encounters were carried out to make Modi a 'hero'. This shows the mentality of the state BJP government," he said.

"They first submitted in the court that Kausar Bi was missing and today they accepted that she was also killed, which is contradictory," he said.