Amidst the ongoing drug case involving Shah Rukh Khan’s son, Aryan Khan, NCB Mumbai Director Sameer Wankhede has responded to the allegation meted out by Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik. Malik had alleged that the raid on a luxury cruise liner was fake and was done to target Shah Rukh Khan.
Wankhede said on Thursday, September 7, that “all action has been taken within the ambit of the law.”
While speaking to India Today, the NCB chief said that the panchnamas (seizure memos) were drawn as per the provisions established by the law.
The agency hit out at the NCP leader saying that his allegations seemed to be motivated by prejudice and malice.
“We have already held a press conference, yet let us tell you that we have given 9 names who did the panchnama as witnesses in the case. All action has been taken within the ambit of the law,” Wankhade said.
The NCB had also said in its statement that two persons, namely, Manish Bhanushali and Kiran Gosavi were among more than half a dozen of its ‘independent witnesses’ during the October 2 rave party raid. NCB slammed the Nationalist Congress Party for levelling allegations against the agency.
“We are all government servants and doing our duty. NCB is a professional organisation and whoever is found violating the NDPS rule, we are taking action against them and will continue to take action. In the last one year in Mumbai and Maharashtra, we have tried to create a drug-free environment and have the statistics prove this,” Wankhade said.
He added that in a year, NCB has arrested 320 people, raided 2 big drug factories and busted many big drug syndicates and gangs.
“You know the names of a lot of people, so the statistics are testimonials to what we do. In 1 year, drugs more than 100 crores have been caught. We will continue to do the same thing in the future,” Wankhede added.
Speaking on the arrest of Aryan Khan, the NCB Mumbai chief asserted that the agency had submitted all the evidence in court and will continue to do so. Wankhede asserted that Khan was not the only person to be arrested. So far the department has arrested 16 people in the case and had seized many different types of drugs.
NCB leader Nawab Malik calls raid on cruise in which Aryan Khan was caught ‘fake’
Sameer Wankhede was responding to NCB leader and Maharashtra Minority Affairs and Skill Development Minister Nawab Malik’s allegations that the raid conducted on the luxury cruise liner on October 2 was ‘fake’ and the department found no drugs during the raid. Nawab Malik claimed that BJP has misused the central agency to frame Aryan Khan.
He had also asserted that a BJP person was accompanying the NCB team during the raid. Nawab Malik had levelled these allegations on Wednesday, October 6.
“Aryan Khan’s arrest is a forgery. For the last one month, information was being circulated to crime reporters that the next target is actor Shah Rukh Khan,” said Malik.
Aryan Khan’s arrest is a forgery. For the last one month, the information was being circulated to crime reporters that the next target is actor Shah Rukh Khan: Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik pic.twitter.com/moaRhfzZx2
— ANI (@ANI) October 6, 2021
Nawab Malik’s son-in-law arrested in drug case
It may be recalled that the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) had on July 10, submitted a 1,000-page charge sheet against Nawab Malik’s son-in-law Sameer Khan for procuring, purchasing, transporting, and distributing drugs. Sameer Khan was arrested for possession of drugs on January 13th this year.
Nearly nine months after he was arrested in connection with a drugs case, a special court had granted bail to Sameer Khan on September 27.
Amidst all the brouhaha around the arrest of Bollywood megastar Shahrukh Khan’s son in the drug case, the NCB is likely to seek an extension in the custody of Aryan Khan, media reports suggest.
According to a report by Times Now, the NCB’s decision follows the arrest of a foreign national from Bandra by the NCB late Wednesday night. He was found with a commercial quantity of mephedrone (MD), according to reports.
Aryan Khan drug case
On Sunday, October 3, Aryan Khan, Arbaaz Merchant and many other people were detained from a luxury cruise liner where a rave party was going on. As per reports, cocaine MD, charas and MDMA pills were found on Khan and others with him.
Khan has been remanded to NCB custody till the 7th of October. Arbaz Seth Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha have also been sent to NCB custody along with Aryan.
