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Aryan Khan drugs case: Sameer Wankhede denies allegations, ready to face probe
Sameer Wankhede, the NCB’s Mumbai zonal director, made the remarks before the special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) court on Monday inconnection with the drugs bust case involving Shah Rukh Khan’s son, Aryan Khan
Sameer Wankhede, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officer heading the investigation into a drugs case involving actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son, Aryan Khan, on Monday denied any wrongdoing and said he was ready to face any inquiry.
Wankhede, the NCB’s Mumbai zonal director, made the assertion before the special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) court.
Citing recent developments, especially allegations made by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik, the NCB on Monday moved the special court seeking orders to not allow anyone to take cognizance of the affidavit of Prabhakar Sail, a witness in the alleged drug bust case, or initiate action on the basis of the affidavit without prior permission of the special court.
On October 3, Aryan Khan along with and a few others was arrested by the NCB after an alleged drug bust on a cruise ship.
The agency’s counsel Advait Sethna urged the court to take up the plea for urgent hearing. Sethna told the court that names of witnesses were being divulged and also informed it about Sail’s affidavit, adding that it was forwarded to the NCB’s Delhi office “for further legal action”.
In the affidavit, sworn before a notary, Sail claimed that he used to work as a bodyguard of Kiran P Gosavi, one of the nine witnesses in the case.
Sail said a meeting was held after the raid at a cruise terminal in Mumbai and he heard a conversation between Gosavi and another individual about demanding ₹25 crore and settling for a smaller sum.
He also claimed that he heard ₹8 crore of ₹25 crore was meant for a senior NCB officer.
Sail went on to claim that he had collected two bags allegedly containing ₹50 lakh in cash and handed it over to Gosavi.
In the affidavit filed before the special court along with the plea, Sameer Wankhede categorically denied the allegations made against him, saying they “are not only false but misleading, mischievous and maligning”.
“I have been personally targeted, especially by a known political figure, for reasons best known to him,” Wankhede said in his affidavit. “The only justification that I can fathom is that one Sameer Khan, a relative of the political honcho, was arrested in an NDPS case in accordance with law and later enlarged on bail by this court. From that time, there are a series of personal vendetta targeted at me and my family members, who are victims of such defamatory attacks and false, frivolous and vexatious allegations.”
Sameer Wankhede further said in his affidavit, “I was threatened to be arrested and to be dispelled from service. There is a lurking threat of arrest as it does not suit some vested interest, just for conducting honest and impartial investigation.
“I am ready to face all that is in law to establish my innocence. In this case, highly influential people are involved, so I request the court to pass appropriate orders to preserve and protect the sanctity of a fair and unbiased investigation.”
Wankhede stepped into the witness box and informed special judge Vaibhav Patil that his personal details and information about his family members were being made public.
“They are targeting my family, by deceased mother and father. Today, they have also posted some photographs,” said Wankhede. “They are threatening officers, ‘panch’ witnesses and their family members. In this regard, a ‘panch’ has already filed a complaint.”
The special court has slotted the matter for hearing in the afternoon.
