Would have restored law and order if I was the Delhi Commissioner: D G Vanzara

Recently, Vanzara was given a post-retirement promotion by the state government of Gujarat, making his designation post-retirement as Inspector General.

On Sunday, Vanzara was invited to a ceremony in Nikol by Jaher Nagrik Samman Samiti, where he was felicitated for his post-retirement promotion.

In an apparent reference to the recent riots in Delhi where more than 52 were killed and the ongoing protests at Shaheen Bagh against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens, Vanzara said, “Consider this hypothetical situation… if news flashes that D G Vanzara has been appointed as the Delhi Police commissioner… Vanzara sahib has arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi… I guarantee you that the law and order situation will be restored just by that news. I guarantee you that all blocked roads will be opened (sic),” said Vanzara at the event.

The event was also attended by Jay Vasavada, a renowned Gujarati writer along with other dignitaries. Vasavada also spoke in favour of Vanzara and called him a warrior of Gujarat.

Vanzara in his address spoke about the encounter cases which were conducted during his tenure from 2002 to 2006 in Gujarat and the nine years he had spent in jail.

“…The nationalism wave which India is experiencing right now, it’s base lies in Gujarat. In all the terrorism-related activities which occurred in Gujarat and all the encounters that happened there was one thing common in each FIR filed for these cases – all these terrorists had come to Gujarat to kill the then chief minister Narendra Modi. The Gujarat Police, based on the input received by the Central Intelligence Bureau (IB) had finished off these terrorists following due procedures of IPC and CRPC. However, the kind of politics that has been going on for the past 70 years in India ensured that the nationalist police officers of Gujarat were sent to jail for their actions,” said Vanzara.

He was also seen holding a sword which he was gifted at the event and saluting the audience while donning the official uniform.

When asked why he had come dressed in police uniform, Vanzara said,” I wore it to show that my uniform is spotless and clean and there are no blots on it.”

In April 2007, Vanzara and SP-rank officers Rajkumar Pandian and Dinesh MN (Rajasthan cadre) were arrested by a team of Gujarat CID led by then IPS officer Rajnish Rai, for their alleged involvement in the alleged fake encounter case of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and his wife Kauser Bi. Vanzara was later charged for the encounter killing of Ishrat Jahan, three others and Tulsiram Prajapati.

Vanzara was lodged in Sabarmati Central Jail following his arrest in 2007. In November 2012, he was transferred to Mumbai’s Taloja jail.