Former IPS officer DG Vanzara gets post-retirement promotion by Gujarat govt

The Gujarat government has given a post-retirement promotion to former IPS officer DG Vanzara to the post of Inspector General (IG) on Tuesday.

Dahyaji Gobarji (DG) Vanzara had retired from the IPS as Deputy Inspector General (DIG) on May 31, 2014, after eight years in jail for his alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings by Gujarat Police. However, in 2017 and 2019, the CBI courts had acquitted him of all charges in two fake encounter killing cases. Vanzara is now entitled to pension and arrears of salary pending from September 2007.

The notification order issued by Sangeeta Singh, additional chief secretary to the Government of Gujarat, Home Department said, "Shri DG Vanzara, IPS (GJ 1987) who has been retired in DGIP Grade on 31.05.2014 is promoted to the IGP grade with deemed date in the Pay Band 4 : Rs 37400-67000, Grade pay Rs 10000 (pre-revised) with effect from 29.09.2007. The orders regarding payment of arrears with respect to deemed date promotion to Shri DG Vanzara IPS (GJ 1987) will be issued separately by the Home Department."

An IPS officer of 1987 batch, Vanzara along with RK Pandian and Dinesh MN (Rajasthan cadre) was first arrested in April 2007 by a team of Gujarat CID for his alleged involvement in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh and his wife Kauser bi fake encounter case. He was later also charged for the encounter killing of Ishrat Jahan and 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 after the Supreme Court shifted the trial in the Sohrabuddin case. In June 2013, the CBI arrested Vanzara in the Ishrat Jahan case and brought him back to Sabarmati jail. In September 2014, he was granted bail in the Sohrabuddin case by the Bombay High Court, and in February 2015, he walked out of jail after a CBI Special Court allowed his bail plea in the Ishrat case.

Then in 2017, Vanzara was acquitted of all charges in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh case and in May 2019, a CBI court acquitted him in the Ishrat Jahan case as well.

(Inputs from indianexpress.com)