The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) told a special court in Mumbai on Monday that a witness in the Mumbai drugs case, involving Aryan Khan, has turned hostile. The witness, Prabhakar Sail, had levelled allegations against NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede alleging that Wankhede was given a Rs 8 crore payoff.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik, who has made speculations about the agency’s handling of the case in the past, tweeted a document related to Sameer Wankhede’s birth and wrote, “Sameer Dawood Wankhede’s forgery began here.” Wankhede has denied any allegations related to his birth.
Sameer Wankhede filed an affidavit before a sessions court and speaking about the matter, Sameer Wankhede said, "Personally I am being targeted by some people. Accusations are constantly being levelled against me and my family. Even today some of my personal pictures are leaked."
NCB to Investigate Prabhakar Sail’s Claims
Sail claims to be the bodyguard of KP Gosavi, the alleged private investigator who was seen in the viral selfie with Aryan Khan. He claimed that he heard a conversation between KP Gosavi and a Sam D’Souza about a Rs 18 crore deal. He added that Shah Rukh Khan’s manager Pooja Dadlani was also present.
The agency has said that the allegations made by Sail were made with an intent to “malign the agency’s image.” However, the agency will investigate the claims with Deputy Director-General Gyaneshwar Singh heading it.
The NCB has filed two affidavits with the special NDPS court with one stating that Prabhakar Sail has gone hostile citing the fact that he filed his affidavit before submitting it to the Court.
NCB Drug Case: Nawab Malik vs Sameer Wankhede
Nawab Malik had earlier alleged that the NCB’s case is “fake” and was an attempt to malign the image of the Maharashtra government adding that, “attempts were made to implicate certain people.”
NCB sources quoting Sameer Wankhede said, “I have come to know about a recent tweet by Nawab Malik regarding caste certificate. This is a shoddy attempt to bring in things that are unrelated to (the drugs case). My mother was Muslim... why does he want to bring my dead mother into this?" NDTV reported.
The NCB officer reportedly added, “To verify my caste and background anyone can visit my native place and verify my descent from my great-grandfather. But he should not spread this filth like this. I will fight all this legally and don't want to comment too much on this out of court.”
Nawab Malik had said to ANI, “They (BJP) have a puppet - Wankhede. He raises bogus cases... I challenge Wankhede he'll lose his job in a year... We have evidence of bogus cases.” Malik had also alleged that Wankhede was in the Maldives during the pandemic and was targeting Bollywood celebrities.
Wankhede defended himself and told NDTV, “I have gone with my children, with proper permission and my own money.”
He also wrote to the Mumbai Police Commissioner requesting that he "ensure that no precipitate legal action is carried out to frame me with ulterior motives."
Aryan Khan Bail Hearing, Ananya Panday to Be Questioned
The bail pleas for accused Aryan Khan, Arbaaz Merchantt, and Munmun Dhamecha were rejected by a special NDPS court. Aryan’s lawyers approached the High Court in the matter and the hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.
Actor Ananya Panday will be questioned by the NCB on Monday for the third time in the case. The NCB claimed that she and Aryan Khan had chats related to ‘weed supply’. Ananya told the NCB that she has never consumed or supplied drugs.
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