Daijiworld Media Network - Jaipur (SP)

Jaipur, Aug 2: IPS officer of Rajasthan cadre, M N Dinesh Kumar, a native of Karnataka, has confessed that the 12 years during which he underwent traumatic experiences after having been charged of involvement with Sohrabuddin encounter case before getting exonerated by the court, has mellowed him down from a strict police officer to a common man.

Even after Dinesh spent several years away from power and inside jail, criminals and his subordinates alike continue to treat him as an officer who is dreaded by criminals.

Dinesh was in jail for seven years during this period. Dinesh, a 1995 batch IPS officer, has said that the bitter experiences he went through these years brought positive changes in him. In his interview with an English daily, Dinesh confessed that being an optimist he could see through this phase with newfound energy.

Dinesh said he was confounded the first time he was put into a jail, but slowly he realized that there is life behind the walls of the jail. "Because I could get enough time there after a long period, I could read big books there leisurely. I began to live in the present, and keep myself abreast of the current affairs by reading. I also paid attention to maintaining physical and mental fitness through Yoga and exercises," he explained.

"The tribulations I underwent helped me to make best use of the opportunities and find positive points in everything. As a police officer and individual, this phase of my life has brought lot of changes in me. My experiences have given rise to confidence that I can face such situations and come out successful," he revealed.

After Dinesh secured bail and was released from jail, Dinesh was appointed as inspector general for Anti Corruption Bureau. During this period, he had crushed some mining barons with an iron hand. He was instrumental in even arresting principal secretary in the department of mining, Ashok Singhvi, and several others. After he was posted to the special operations team to arrest gangster, Anand Pal, he worked efficiently and won laurels.

Dinesh was absolved from Soharabuddin encounter case by a special CBI court at Mumbai on Tuesday. Along with him, retired IPS officer, D G Vanjara, was also absolved of charges. Sohrabuddin, believed to be having links with terrorist organization from Pakistan, Lashkar-e-Toiba, was killed in 2005 but there were allegations that Sohrabuddin was killed in a fake encounter. Vanjara also was inside jail in this case for about eight years.

BJP national president and former Gujararat home minister, Amit Shah, who also was an accused in this case, also stands exonerated for want of evidence. Shah was accused of instructing the officers to kill Sohrabuddin out of political considerations. Vanjara said the court verdict has proved that Sohrabuddin encounter was not take. He also is confident of getting out unscathed in Ishrat Jehan fake encounter case in which also he has been accused.