Ishrat Jahan case: CPM for Modi's ouster

The Communist Party of India-Marxist demanded the resignation of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday, asking him to take moral responsibility for the killing of a college girl and three others in a fake encounter five years ago.

"The targeted killings of persons belonging to the minority community by the state police reveals the state of affairs under the Narendra Modi government," the CPI-M Politbureau said in a statement.

The encounter in which college girl Ishrat Jahan and three others were gunned down in 2004 was fake and executed in cold blood by police officers after the four were suspected to be on a mission to 'kill' Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the judicial probe had found."The enquiry has revealed the hand of senior police officials including the then Ahmedabad Police Commissioner and current Deputy Inspector General of Police DG Vanzara who is now facing trial for another fake encounter killing -- of Soharabuddin Sheikh and his wife," the statement said.

The Politbureau demanded immediate action to arrestm and prosecute all the police personnel involved in these murders. "Exemplary punishment has to be meted out in this case as the crime has been committed by those entrusted with upholding the law. Given the spate of illegal encounter killings which took place under the encouragement of the state government, Modi should take moral responsibility and quit office," the statement added.