Ex Guj cop Vanzara accused in fake encounter cases blames Modi, quits

Former Gujarat top cop targets Narendra Modi and aide Amit Shah

Controversial IPS officer DG Vanzara, suspended and behind the bars in a string of fake encounter cases, has resigned from service accusing Narendra Modi government of having failed to protect the jailed police officers who fought against "Pakistan inspired terrorism".

 

Vanzara, a 1987 batch IPS officer considered close to Modi, has said in his resignation letter that police officers involved in alleged fake encounters "simply implemented the conscious policy" of the government whose place "should either be in Taloja central prison at Navi Mumbai or in Sabarmati Central Prison at Ahmedabad."

 

Vanzara, lodged in Sabarmati central jail, in a 10-page hard-hitting resignation letter to Additional Chief Secretary of the state's Home department, has accused the state government, particularly former Minister of State for Home Amit Shah of betraying him and 32 other officers, in jail in encounter killing cases being probed by the CBI.

 

He said he used to adore Modi like God, who could not rise to the occasion under the "evil" influence of Shah, a co-accused in Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsiram Prajapati encounter cases.

 

Holding Narendra Modi government responsible for his and other police officers' actions, Vanzara said they had only "complied" with the policy of the Gujarat government.

 

"I would like to categorically state in the most uninquivocal words that the officers and men of Crime Branch, ATS and Border Range, during the period between 2002 to 2007, simply acted and performed their duty in compliance of the conscious pro-active policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism of this government after Godhra riots," he said.

 

"Gujarat CID and Central agency CBI had arrested me and my officers in different encounter cases holding us to be responsible for carrying out alleged fake encounters.

 

"If that is true then the CBI investigating officers have to arrest the policy formulators also as we, being field officers, have simply implemented the conscious policy of this government which was inspiring, guiding and monitoring our actions from the very close quarters," Vanzara said.

 

"By this reasoning I am of the firm opinion that the place of this government instead of being in Gandhinagar, should either be in Taloja central prison at Navi Mumbai or in Sabarmati Central Prison at Ahmedabad," he said, in his letter dated September 1.