Pravin Togadia – who was reported missing on 15 January when the Rajasthan police went to arrest him – has alleged that a plan was being hatched to kill him in an encounter. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader was found unconscious in a park, and taken to a hospital in Ahmedabad.
Speaking at a press conference on 16 January, Togadia said that he was being targeted in a decade-old case. Pointing fingers at the BJP, he alleged that efforts were being made to muzzle his voice. “An attempt is being made to silence my voice. Old cases are being reopened, so that I can be arrested. An attempt is being made to stifle my voice by arresting me in different states,” he said, adding that the CBI was allegedly threatening doctors associated with the VHP.
‘Fell Unconscious On My Way to Airport’
On 6 January, Togadia appeared at an Ahmedabad court seeking to overturn an arrest warrant against him. The 61-year-old alleged that he received a tip-off about his killing in a police encounter while offering pooja at his office. After he was told that the Rajasthan Police was in Gujarat to arrest him, he left his office and switched off his phone.
I left office when I came to know that Rajasthan police had come to arrest me. I left office thinking my arrest would lead to chaos. I switched off my phone and went to Thaltej to an activist’s office.Pravin Togadia, VHP chief
“I called up Rajasthan chief minister (Vasundhara Raje) and home minister (Gulabchand Kataria) but they denied their police had come to Gujarat to arrest me. This raised more suspicion, and I switched off my mobile phones. I contacted lawyers of Rajasthan and told them to get the arrest warrant cancelled. But they said that it was difficult as court issued it. So I decided to go to Jaipur by taking a flight and appear before the court,” he said.
On his way to the airport to reach Jaipur, Togadia fell unconscious near Kotarpur. “I don’t remember anything else. I was alone covering myself with a shawl to avoid the police,” he said.
Togadia Questions Police Action
“Rajasthan Police had come to arrest me, but the chief minister and home minister of that state were not aware about it. The same thing happened in Gujarat. When Gujarat court issued a warrant against me, the Chief Minister (Vijay Rupani) here, or home minster (Pradeepsinh Jadeja) were not aware about it,” he said.
“On whose orders are police is taking such action will be revealed by me at an appropriate time and with evidence,” Togadia said.
“I have no complaints with Gujarat or Rajasthan police. All I have to say to Gujarat police that why were you going to search my room. Am I a criminal. Have not done anything wrong. I request Crime Branch not to get under political pressure,” he said.
What is the Case About?
The case filed in Rajasthan is a 12-year-old case pertaining to unlawful assembly of more than four persons after a police order prohibited the same. Except Togadia, all others of the 16 persons charged, availed bail.
Earlier, the Ahmedabad metropolitan court had ordered arrest warrants against Togadia and 36 others – including a BJP MLA and other leaders in connection with a 22-year-old case involving skirmishes between two groups of BJP known as Hajuria and Khajuria.
Since the accused, including Togadia, BJP's MLA Babu Jamna Patel, corporator Krushnavadan Brahmbhatt and advocate Minesh Waghela, did not remain present in court in response to repeated summons, the court on ordered to issue warrants against them.
Hardik Patel Among Togadia’s Visitors at Hospital
Dr Rupkumar Agrawal, who was attending Togadia at the Chandramani hospital said his health condition was stable, PTI reported. Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Dinesh Bambhaniya met the VHP leader on 16 January as did Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) JK Bhatt and former Gujarat DIG DG Vanzara.
Among the other high-profile visitors were Patidar agitation leader Hardik Patel. Addressing reporters after the visit, he said: “We are all citizens of this state and the way the state machinery and the police are trying to snatch the constitutional rights of the public is very saddening”.
When asked if Hardik supports Togadia, he said: “Whether I agree to their opinions or nor, the way Togadia has conducted himself and maintained the pride and respect of Gujarat, and for that I will always think highly of him. Our opinions may differ but our minds are united.” He also said that he supports Togadia’s accusations against PM Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah.
It is clear that this is a conspiracy against Togadia planned by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. For the first time it was observed that the RSS is interfering in the governance of the VHP. Hindutva is not in danger, but a Hindu leader is in danger, Hindustan is in danger and so is the farmer of Hindustan.Hardik Patel
The Curious Case of Pravin Togadia’s ‘Disappearance’
Monday, 15 January witnessed chaos at the VHP headquarters in Paldi, Ahmedabad, with workers alleging that Togadia, a Z Plus category protectee, went “missing” after stepping out of the headquarters when a contingent of Rajasthan Police came to arrest him in an old case.
Sola police station officials said a team of Rajasthan Police visited them on Monday morning to execute an arrest warrant against Togadia under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code, but could not find him at his residence.
VHP workers, however, sat on a dharna outside Sola police station accusing the police of having picking up Togadia before he went missing – hinting that he had been killed in an encounter. The city police formed four teams to locate the Hindutva leader. While VHP spokesperson Jay Shah claimed that Togadia was detained by the Rajasthan Police, a senior police officer added to the confusion by telling reporters that neither the local Sola police nor the Rajasthan Police arrested him.
Crime Branch JCP JK Bhatt told media persons in Ahmedabad: “On Monday morning, Togadia left his office and informed a cop who was stationed outside that he is stepping out for a while and will return in 15-20 minutes. Togadia got into an auto rickshaw along with an unidentified bearded man and never returned”.
“The Rajasthan Police went to Togadia’s residence in Thaltej area with the Sola Police to execute an arrest warrant (at around 10:45 am). But, Togadia was not found there. However, VHP workers thought that he was arrested, which is not true... An SRP (State Reserve Police) jawan, who was deployed outside the VHP office, told us that... before leaving, Togadia told the security staff that he will be back within 30 minutes,” Bhatt said.
Later in the evening, the VHP leader was found in an unconscious state in Shahibaug area of the city – around 12 km away. Togadia was brought to Chandramani Hospital in an unconscious state at around 9:20 pm. According to reports, his blood sugar and blood pressure were found to be below normal.
(This is a developing story and will be updated)
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