Ishrat case judge quits...

Before Karnataka, Patel was a judge in the Gujarat HC where he ordered a CBI investigation into killing of Ishrat Jehan, a Mumbai college girl shot dead with three men by police in 2004 on the suspicion of being a terrorist.

The order put Gujarat police officers under judicial scrutiny. Police had accused the girl of being an operative of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-taiba. She was allegedly on a mission to kill Narendra Modi, then chief min- ister of Gujarat.

Justice Patel has sent his resignation to the law ministry and the Chief Justice of India.

Rules say the President has to accept, or reject, his resignation. It is unclear is the letter was forwarded to President Ram Nath Kovind.

Sources said Patel is protesting against his “non-elevation” to the post of chief justice or acting chief justice of a high court.

He is the senior-most judge from Gujarat. Sources said there is no Gujarat representative as chief justice either in the top court or in high courts.

Patel’s resignation drew sharp reactions from the Gujarat High Court Bar Association that had criticised the top court collegiums for not elevating the judge. The association condemned the Supreme Court’s latest move, saying it would strike work on Wednesday and challenge the transfer.