‘No one is allowed to interfere’: On Nawab Malik’s allegations in drugs-on-cruise case, PIL seeks CBI probe

Filed by lawyer ML Sharma, the PIL asked the court if a minister can continue to hold a constitutional office despite “interfering” with the investigation and “maligning” the investigating officer – referring to Sameer Wankhede, who is probing the matter.

A public interest litigation (PIL) filed in the Supreme Court by a lawyer has sought for an investigation into the Mumbai drugs-on-cruise case by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), claiming that there has been interference in the ongoing probe by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik has said he has proofs to show that NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede has framed others in drugs' cases in the past. (HT Photo)

Filed by ML Sharma in his personal capacity, the PIL has referred to the ongoing allegations and counter-allegations by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik and NCB Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede against each other, according to news agency PTI.

In the PIL, Sharma asked if a minister can continue to hold their position despite “interfering” with the probe of a case and “maligning” the investigative officer. “No one is allowed to interfere in the criminal justice systems. The state and the state minister are duty bound to protect the Constitution and not to interfere in the investigation and criminal process,” the PIL argued.

Sharma has also sought for giving “protection to all the witnesses” in the drugs case, thereby, indirectly likening to the extortion allegation raised by Prabhakar Sail – the former bodyguard of NCB’s primary witness in the cruise ship drugs’ case Kiran Gosavi. “Witnesses are liable to be protected and not to be arrested and tortured to give favourable statements favouring the accused persons,” PTI reported quoting the PIL.

Controversies engulfing the drugs-on-cruise case has been at its peak with Malik making a myriad of serious allegations against Wankhede, which even includes extortion from one of accused Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan. Notably, Aryan was granted bail by the Bombay high court on Thursday after the 23-year-old spent more than 20 days behind bars. He walked out of Mumbai's Arthur Road jail on Saturday, escorted by his father’s security team.

Malik has also said that he will submit proofs and documents related to his claim that Wankhede has framed as many as 26 innocent people in “fake” drugs cases in the past. Although Wankhede has refuted the allegations saying that they are being made to target his reputation, he was questioned for more than four hours on Wednesday by NCB deputy director general (DDG) Gyaneshwar Singh.

Furthermore, the PIL’s reference to witness protection and their arrest emerges from the Pune Police nabbing Gosavi on Thursday in a 2018 cheating scandal. Notably, Sail – who is also one of the witnesses in the ongoing cruise ship drugs’ case said he overheard Gosavi telling one Sam D’Souza about settling Aryan Khan’s case (reference to earlier when he was still lodged in jail) at ₹18 crore – with ₹8 crore to be given to Wankhede. The Mumbai zonal director of NCB has dismissed the claims.

Besides Aryan, as many as 13 people have been given bail in the case. This includes actor Arbaaz Merchant and model Munmun Dhamecha as well. Meanwhile, six more individuals continue to remain in jail as the NCB team that Wankhede continues to head, investigates the case.