Drugs seized on cruise: BJP leader’s kin was detained but let off by NCB, says NCP

Maharashtra minority welfare minister Nawab Malik has announced to produce a video footage to prove his claims on Saturday in a press conference

Nationalist Congress Party (NCB) leader and Maharashtra minority welfare minister Nawab Malik on Friday has alleged that the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) let off the brother-in-law of a key Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader after officers from the agency received calls from the party leadership.

Maharashtra minority welfare minister Nawab Malik alleged that 10 people were detained by the NCB team during the raid on the cruise from where drugs were seized but two were let off after “intervention from higher level”. (HT FILE)

Malik has announced to produce a video footage to prove his claims on Saturday in a press conference.

On Wednesday, Malik had alleged lapses in the raids on the cruise from where drugs were seized on October 2 and produced a video footage on the involvement of two private persons in the arrest of the accused in the rave party. The footage produced by Malik in a press conference showed that a BJP officer-bearer, Manish Bhanushali, and a person named Kiran Gosavi, who is facing criminal cases, were part of the NCB team which had arrested actor Shahrukh Khan’s son Aryan and actor Arbaaz Merchant for their alleged involvement in the rave party. Malik had also raised questions over their presence during the raids and their handling of the accused.

On Friday, Malik alleged that 10 people were detained by the NCB team during the raid, but two were let off after “intervention from higher level”.

“One of them was the brother-in law of a key BJP leader. Both of them were brought to NCB office, but were later allowed to go. NCB’s zonal director Sameer Wankhede had said after the raid that they had detained eight to 10 people. Why did he not give the specific number of the detainees? Was he vague on the number because he had to free two people? We will produce a video-recording to prove that two detainees were freed from NCB office and one of them was the relative of a high-profile BJP leader,” he said.

NCB had raided on an off shore rave party on a cruise ship along the Mumbai coast on Saturday night. At least 10 people were either detained or arrested, including Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan and two of his friends.

Malik said Wankhede should clarify how many phone calls he had received during the detention and on whose direction the “high-profile detainees” were allowed to go. He should also clarify what connection he has with BJP. Malik said a few government officials such as ex-Mumbai top cop Param Bir Singh were involved in ill practices under the guise of actions against criminals.

“Bollywood artists were harassed for money by seizing 1-2 grams of drugs. We will expose it all in due process,” he said.

Leader of opposition in legislative council Pravin Darekar said, “The allegations levelled by Malik are baseless as NCB will never allow any person arrested to let go. If Malik has any proofs related to it, he should submit them to the investigating agency, rather than wasting time in producing them before the media. If such proofs are handed over, the NCB will take action and ensure that the guilty are punished.”