The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a corruption case against Sameer Wankhede, the former zonal director of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Mumbai, and three others in connection with the Aryan Khan cruise case. The case relates to allegations of corruption and extortion involving Wankhede and his team during the investigation of the high-profile drug case, in which Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan was arrested.
The CBI case was registered based on a complaint filed by Prabhakar Sail, a witness in the case and a former employee of Wankhede. Sail had alleged that he was asked to give a false statement against a senior officer in exchange for a bribe of Rs 25 lakh. He had also claimed that he was threatened and assaulted by Wankhede’s team.
The other three accused named in the case are KP Gosavi, a private detective who was involved in the raid on the cruise ship, and two others identified as Manish Bhanushali and Prasad Pujari.
The Aryan Khan cruise case made headlines in October 2021 when the NCB conducted a raid on a cruise ship off the coast of Mumbai and arrested Aryan Khan and several others for alleged drug use and possession. The case had garnered a lot of media attention and had led to a public debate on drug abuse and the role of law enforcement agencies.
Wankhede, who was the investigating officer in the case, had faced criticism and allegations of misconduct from several quarters. Sail’s complaint had led to an internal inquiry by the NCB, which had found no evidence of wrongdoing by Wankhede. However, Sail later approached the Bombay High Court seeking an independent probe into the matter, which directed the CBI to investigate the case.
Wankhede has denied all allegations against him and has accused Sail of making false statements and trying to derail the investigation. He has also claimed that the case is politically motivated and has been filed to tarnish his image. The other accused in the case have also denied any wrongdoing and have said that they will cooperate with the CBI investigation.
The registration of the case by the CBI has once again brought the Aryan Khan cruise case into the spotlight and has raised questions about the role of law enforcement agencies in such high-profile cases. The case is likely to be closely watched and could have implications for the ongoing investigations into the drug trade in Mumbai and other parts of the country.