Brought in amid heavy security, Vanzara arrived at the district court around 11 am for a hearing in a case, in which he had arrested 34 employees of a chemical factory, including the factory owner Chandu Jaiswal.

Jaiswal, an accused in the case had moved the Supreme Court for the dismissal of the case pleading innocence, after which the case was transferred here.

Vanzara, the then Superintendent of Police, had raided a chemical factory in the Nandesari industrial Estate, on the grounds that its employees sold denatured spirit without any supervision. The arrested were chargesheeted later. They are currently out on bail. Vadodara public prosecutor B M Trivedi said: “Jaiswal had moved the SC pleading innocence. Since Vanzara was the investigating officer, he had to be summoned for questioning.”

Trivedi, who moved an application for an adjournment of the hearing since the case was old, said: “I have asked for more time to let Vanzara scrutinise the papers.”

Members from the Vanzara community, meanwhile, were waiting expectantly for Vanzara's arrival an hour before he reached. The crowds rushed to a confident-looking and smiling Vanzara the moment he got off the police van. He was greeted with garlands and slogans.