As it became apparent that no drugs were seized from Aryan Khan during the raid on the cruise liner, NCB Senior officers, were supportive of zonal director Sameer Wankhede so far, started distancing from the probe. Sameer Wankhede’s shenanigans resulting into serious procedural lapse has caused much embarrassment to this elite agency
Wankhede’s team gave initial impression that drugs were seized from Aryan Khan. However it was clarified at a later stage that the narcotic substance was found concealed in the shoe of his friend Arbaaz Merchant, a senior official on the condition of anonymity revealed addith that Wankhede wanted to even raid actor Shah Rukh Khan’s residence , but the NCB headquarters declined permission due to lack of evidence.
The monumental lapses included included allowing the ‘panch’ witnesses to take the custody and drag the accused. The “panch” in question, Gosavi was audacious enough to post a viral selfie with Aryan Khan where his smirk at holding the prize catch did not remain unnoticed. Gosavi’s videos holding a mobile phone close toAryan Khan’s mouth, either recording or making him speak to someone. went viral too.
Kiran Gosavi, wanted in a 2018 cheating case.was arrested on 27 october by police in Pune.
Wankhede on his part has maintained that “All due processes and legal procedures were followed.”
While recording his statement to the NCB’s five-member vigilance team probing corruption allegations against him, Wankhede refuted allegations of attempted extortion.
One of the ‘panch’ witness Prabhakar Sail has alleged that there was a ’25 crore extortion bid by some NCB officials, including Wankhede, to let off Khan.
Wankhede accussed that he was the ‘target of a smear campaign’ launched by a politician whose kin was arrested by his unit early this year. He was referring to Sameer Khan, son-in-law of Nationalist Congress Party leader Nawab Malik.
Incidentally, a special court made negative remarks against NCB’s contentions while granting bail to Malik’s son-in-law.
