Wankhede questioned for 9 hours at Kopri police station in Thane

Former Zonal Director of Mumbai NCB, Sameer Wankhede, was questioned for around nine hours by Kopri Police in Thane on Wednesday; he walked out of the police station at around 8.15pm and claimed that he was fully cooperating with the investigation; he was asked by the High Court to appear before it in connection with an FIR lodged against him for forgery and wilful misinterpretation while procuring liquor licence

Former Zonal Director of Mumbai NCB, Sameer Wankhede, was questioned for around nine hours by Kopri Police in Thane on Wednesday. He walked out of the police station at around 8.15pm and claimed that he was fully cooperating with the investigation.

Former Zonal Director of Mumbai NCB, Sameer Wankhede, at the Kopri police station in Thane on Wednesday. (PRAFUL GANGURDE/HT PHOTO)

Wankhede had reached Kopri Police Station in Thane at 11.30am on Wednesday. He was asked by the High Court to appear before it in connection with an FIR lodged against him for forgery and wilful misinterpretation while procuring liquor licence.

An officer from the Kopri police station confirmed the development, adding, “As per the court’s order, Wankhede had visited the police station and we have recorded his detailed statement. Our investigation is in progress and we will call him if need be.”

Talking to Hindustan Times, Wankhede said, “The matter is subjudice, therefore I cannot comment on the case or the statement recorded but the police are doing their job and I will cooperate with them whenever they call me in the matter.”

The Bombay High Court, on Tuesday, had granted Wankhede interim protection from coercive steps like arrest till February 28 in this FIR registered against him at Kopri police station on the complaint filed by the excise department on February 20.

The complaint has alleged that Wankhede had submitted an affidavit to the excise office showing himself to be an adult to secure a liquor licence while he was not yet 18 years of age.

The Thane Collector had also issued orders to seal the restaurant earlier this month. Following the Collector’s order, a petition was also filed by Wankhede challenging the February 1 order of the Thane District Collector. The HC refused to grant him urgent hearing. In that petition, Wankhede had stated that he had turned 18 years in December 1997 after which the licence was being renewed annually for the past 23 years, and hence the cancellation order was violative of his fundamental rights and should be quashed.

Malik had raised the issue in November 2021 that Wankhede had received the licence despite not being of eligible age for it.