Vadodara: Former IPS officer D G Vanzara, who is out on bail in the Ishrat Jahan alleged fake encounter case, on Sunday said the same anti-national forces that pushed him to the prison were responsible for 'falsely implicating' Sadhvi Pragya and Asaram Bapu.
Speaking to media in Vadodra, the former Gujarat DIG demanded Asaram's exoneration in rape case.
"Same forces who were responsible for framing charges against me and putting me in jail are responsible for arresting Asaram and the charges against him (Asaram) too should be dropped," Vanzara said.
"As a police officer I have studied the FIR filed against Asaram and I am of the opinion that the charges should be dropped against him," said Vanzara who considers himself a loyal devotee of the self-styled godman
He said Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Col Purohit were also falsely implicated.
A CBI court had in April relaxed bail conditions of Vanzara, a key accused in the alleged fake encounters of Ishrat Jahan, Soharabuddin Sheikh and Tulsi Prajapati, and allowed him to enter and stay in Gujarat.
Asaram is currently in jail in Jodhpur in connection with the alleged rape of a minor girl. He was also booked for raping a Surat-based woman.
Meanwhile, Vanzara also hinted that he could contest Gujarat Assembly elections next year.
When asked about which political party he is planning to join, the former IPS officer said, "That question will arise at the time of the election. Today, there is no question of choosing a party. Today, I am a citizen of this country and I am just a common man and as a common man I want to serve 6.5 crore people of Gujarat".
He claimed that cases against him, Asaram and Sadhvi Pragya, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, are fabricated.
The NIA recently dropped all charges against Sadhvi and five others in the blast case.
Vanzara was felicitated at a function organised by the city-based Gujarat Asmita Sangh.
Speaking at a felicitation ceremony in Vadodara, Vanzara said,“I’m a police officer and I know that the entire case against Asaram Bapu is a frame up. The FIR against him is fake. Just like in the case of Sadhvi Pragya Thakur who spent eight years in prison like me. The then central government had forced the Maharashtra ATS to frame Sadhvi and the others, including a Lieutenant Colonel. There is nothing like Hindu terror. Just a few days back the NIA turned over the case. But, what about the eight years?” he added.
“Whenever a terrorist is caught, many people rise and say ‘innocents’ have been arrested. When I was jailed with my officers, I felt pained that no one said innocents have been arrested. Why are people scared to tell the truth? The rule is clear that until proven guilty, we’re innocent," Vanzara said.
