Retired IPS officer DG Vanzara has reached Ahmedabad, nine years after leaving Gujarat because of a court order restricting his movement.
Vanzara is a key accused in the Ishrat Jahan and Sohrabuddin Sheikh “fake” encounter cases.
On Saturday, a special CBI court in Ahmedabad overruled the CBI’s objections and modified its earlier order allowing Vanzara to return.
In his plea he had claimed,
- Threat to his life and that he was a Z-category protectee.
- Mumbai was the native place of criminals like Dawood Ibrahim, Chhota Shakeel, and others.
- Threat perception spawned from the fact that while in service he had booked such criminals.
- He was suffering from a skin ailment and has been advised by doctors to have home-made food that was not possible in Mumbai.
- Parity with his senior officer and co-accused DGP PP Pandey who is currently in Gujarat.
He said in the application,
Charges levelled against him (Pandey) are either equal or graver than the charges against him. However, Pandey has not been barred from living in Gujarat.
Vanzara’s Homecoming
What Are The Bail Conditions?
Vanzara spent almost eight years in jail. He was confined to Mumbai, according to conditions imposed by Bombay High Court while granting him bail in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case.
Later, the special CBI court also prevented him from entering Gujarat.
Last month, the Bombay High Court lifted this condition but he had to remain there because of developments in the Ishrat case.
Now, the special CBI court in Ahmedabad has allowed his bail modification plea but he needs to mark his presence in court every Saturday.
Cases Against Vanzara
The CBI had objected to Vanzara’s modification plea expressing concern that witnesses might be influenced and evidence tampered with if he was permitted to stay in Gujarat.
Vanzara was Deputy Commissioner of Police of the crime branch, when Ishrat Jahan, her boyfriend Javed Shaikh alias Pranesh Pillai and two Pakistani nationals Amjadali Rana and Zeeshan Johar were killed allegedly in a shootout with the Gujarat Police on the outskirts of Ahmedabad on 15 June 2004.
He was also made accused by the CBI in alleged encounter cases of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsi Prajapati, which took place when he was heading the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).
He was granted bail by a Mumbai court in Sohrabuddin and Tulsi Prajapati encounter cases in September 2014.
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