Gujarat ex-top cop Vanzara defends Asaram

Former Gujarat top cop D G Vanzara came out in defence of Asaram Bapu, stating that it was improper to dub him a “rapist”.

“Respecting the judgement and not contesting or supporting any action proven in a court of law, it is not proper to dub Asaram a rapist. Nowhere in the FIR lodged by the victim or the charge sheet said that he had indulged in rape. What it says is that he has improperly tried to touch her,” said Vanzara, who arrived at Asaram’s Ahmedabad-based Ashram after the verdict was announced.

Vanzara went on to say that even during the trial, the victim never stated that she had been raped.

“Even when the medical test was carried out, her virginity was found to be intact. This is never a case of rape. The sentence is not the basis of having committed rape. She has said that he had touched her with bad intent. This is also a crime but whether Asaramji did so is suspect. Bapuji has been convicted in this matter but a decision of any court is not final. We respect this decision but will go to the higher court against it. We believe that we will get justice,” Vanzara, a follower of Asaram, added.

In the past, too, Vanzara had claimed that Asaram was framed.

“I’m a police officer and I know that the entire case against Asaram Bapu is a frame up. The FIR against him is fake,” Vanzara had said in 2016.

Vanzara had said that the case against Asaram was a conspiracy, as he was “protector of Sanatan Hindu Dharm”.