The case of Sameer Wankhede, Zonal Director at the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) seems to be far from over. In another update, an NCB official said that Wankhede’s team during the initial investigations didn’t reveal if drugs were seized from Aryan Khan.
However, a senior official informed the media that the initial impression that the Wankhede’s team had formed was that the drugs were with Aryan Khan. However, they later found out that drugs were hidden in shoes of his friend Arbaaz Merchant when they were both travelling together on the cruise. The official further informed that the NCB wanted to raid Shah Rukh Khan’s house as well, but they lacked evidence to do so.
However, Wankhede defended himself in the matter and said that they had followed all the due processes and legal procedures and the senior officers were informed of the seizures and evidences in the case.
Meanwhile, when the procedural lapses during the investigation came out in public, the team distances itself from Wankhede. Following the allegations made by Kiran Gosavi that Wankhede was part of Rs 25 crores extortion amount plan, the NCB formed a five member vigilance team to probe the corruption charges against the officer. In the statement that Wankhede recorded, he had refuted the corruption charges and said that he had never demanded any kind of bribe in Aryan Khan’s case.
However, he informed that the people who have made the allegations must be given security as they might turn hostile. He said that he became the “target of a smear campaign” launched by a politician whose friend was arrested earlier this year by his team.
Another NCB official spoke to the media and said that Sameer Khan, son-in-law of Nationalist Congress Party leader Nawab Malik could be the possible reason behind his statements against Wankhede and his family.
