D G Vanzara said the verdict has vindicated his stand that the encounters were genuine.
Retired IPS officer D G Vanzara Tuesday hailed a special court’s verdict discharging him in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsiram fake encounter cases, saying that justice had been done.
“I am grateful to God that this miracle has happened. I always had trust in judiciary. Though a little late, it is better late than never,” he said. “I and my officers had to struggle a lot. We saw lots of ups and down. But I am glad that I, Dinesh M N and Rajkumar (Pandian), who were first arrested, have been discharged.’’ He hoped justice will be done to the remaining officers too.
Vanzara said the verdict has vindicated his stand that the encounters were genuine. He thanked the judiciary and hoped that he would get justice in the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case as well. “I have been saying since the beginning that all these encounters were genuine. They were not fake. Now, when I am finally discharged by the court, it is now established that I was framed in false cases. This judgment vindicated my stand on the encounters,” Vanzara told PTI.
Vanzara said it was painful to spend almost eight years behind bars. “It was nothing short of torture. I lost eight golden years behind bars and also retired during my imprisonment. But I have left everything behind now. Past is past. I take life positively,” PTI quoted Vanzara as saying.
In September 2014, Vanzara was granted bail in the Sohrabuddin case by Bombay High Court but he remained in jail in the Ishrat Jahan case. In February 2015, he walked out of jail after a special CBI court allowed his bail plea in the Ishrat case, but was was barred from entering Gujarat. He returned to his Gandhinagar home in April 2016 after nearly nine years after a CBI court allowed his bail modification plea to enter Gujarat.
