Police contradict Togadia's claims, say he was with VHP worker when ambulance arrived

The mystery behind the disappearance of VHP leader Pravin Togadia and his eventual reappearance at a local hospital on Monday took another twist on Tuesday, with the Ahmedabad crime branch claiming that the VHP leader waited for ambulance before being taken to hospital.

This is in contrast with Togadia's claim that he had fallen unconscious on way to the airport and could not recollect anything after that.

As per the statement issued by the crime branch, Togadia had left the VHP office in Paldi around 10.30 am on Monday and was accompanied by VHP worker Dhirubhai Kapuriya. It was Kapuriya who informed the guard outside VHP office that Togadia would be back in 15-20 minutes. Both then hailed an autorickshaw and left around 11 am, police claimed.

"Both reached the home of another VHP worker Ghanshyambhai Charandas at Thaltej around 11.30 am and left for Nehrunagar around 2 pm, when he switched off his cellphone," the statement read.

Around 7.50 pm, Ghanshyambhai's driver Nikul Rabari was called and they reached Sardarnagar around 8.30 pm. Ghanshyambhai apparently called 108 emergency ambulance service from the driver's phone, stating that an unidentified person was unwell. Nikul was asked to leave the venue and both Ghanshyambhai and Togadia waited for the ambulance.

When the ambulance arrived, Ghanshyambhai instructed its driver to take Togadia straight to Chandramani Hospital.

"Ghanshyambhai claimed that he had been to Gandhinagar and Daskroi on Monday but a technical analysis of his location suggests he was at his residence throughout," the crime branch said.