Nine years after he was arrested in connection with two fake encounter cases, former Inspector General of Gujarat DG Vanzara was released on bail on Friday. He was given a massive welcome in Gandhinagar, where he reportedly criticised leaders responsible for his arrest and announced that he will join politics. The former senior police official was a key accused in the controversial Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case, as well as the Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsiram Prajapati fake encounter cases, The Indian Express reported. The Ishrat Jahan case was in the spotlight recently after Mumbai 26/11 terror attacks accused-turned-approver David Headley said Jahan, who was allegedly killed in a fake encounter in Gujarat, was a member of the Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Vanzara said it was “difficult to save India from anti-national politicians”, PTI reported, and announced that he will “enter public life”. He also said he will work against those who “conspired against” him and other “innocent officers” arrested in fake encounter cases. He retired from police service while in jail in 2014. Vanzara was the last of eight police officers to get bail in the alleged fake encounter cases.