News Analysis India

Tag: cruise ship drugs case

  • NCB’s Wankhede, middlemen demanded Rs 25 crore from Shah Rukh Khan to release son Aryan in drugs case: Witness

    Express News Service

    MUMBAI: A startling revelation of an alleged bribery attempt was made on Sunday by a key witness in the cruise ship drugs case involving Aryan Khan.

    Prabhakar Raghoji Sail, an independent witness of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), claimed that a Rs 25 crore pay-off was demanded by NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede and others from Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan to release his son Aryan Khan.

    However, a senior NCB official denied the allegations, terming them as “completely false and malicious”.

    Prabhakar Sail released a video message and a notarized affidavit claiming that after the detention of Aryan Khan, he overheard a phone call made to Shah Rukh Khan’s manager by KP Gosavi and Sam D’Souza at Lower Parel who demanded Rs 25 crore to release Aryan Khan. Sail is also the personal bodyguard of KP Gosavi, one of the independent witnesses whose selfie with Aryan Khan had gone viral.

    Sail in his affidavit claimed that Gosavi demanded Rs 25 crore but finally settled at Rs 18 crore to ensure Aryan Khan’s release.

    WATCH | Bombshell revelation of ₹25 crore bribe in Aryan Khan case:

    ALSO READ | Parenting crisis in Aryan (Khan) civilisation

    “Out of the total Rs 18 crores, Rs 8 crore was meant for Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB) zonal director Sameer Wankhede while the balance amount was to be shared among them. The meeting took place at Lower Parel where Shahrukh Khan’s manager came in blue Mercedes to meet them. But there was no positive response from Shah Rukh Khan’s manager,” Sail said in the affidavit.

    Sail revealed that while making the witnesses in this case, Sameer Wankhede took his sign on 8 to ten blank papers.

    ALSO READ | Mumbai cruise ship case: NCP minister Nawab Malik demands probe into ‘release’ of trio

    “I was hesitant to sign on blank paper but they insisted and told me that nothing will happen. They also took my Aadhaar card and I was made the witness number one in Aryan Khan’s case. My boss KP Gosavi was also a witness in this case. Before the cruise party raid, KP Gosavi visited Ahmedabad, and next night he came and called him at NCB for this operations,” Sail added.

    He said that after coming to know that his boss KP Gosavi has gone missing, he also now fears for his life. He claimed that there is a threat to his life from NCB officer Sameer Wankhede.

    “My family members are terrified and they are afraid that someone may kill me. Therefore, I decided to release the video and sign the affidavit. If something happens to my life, then NCB officials and others should be held responsible,” Sail demanded.

    Sail said that Gosavi got Rs 50 lakh in some cases to release a suspect. Out of this amount, Rs 38 lakh was given to Sam D’Souza while the rest Gosavi took.

    In Aryan Khan case also, since the ransom amount was not paid, he was not released after his arrest.

    The NCB, while stating that Wankhede has categorically denied the allegations, also said that as the matter is sub judice, Sail should have submitted his prayer to the court if he had anything to say.

    Mumbai NCB’s Deputy Director General (DDG) Mutha Ashok Jain issued a statement saying that he came to know through social media that Sail is a witness in the case.

    “As he (Sail) is a witness in the case and the case is before the honourable court and is sub judice, he needs to submit his prayer to the court rather than through social media if he has anything to say,” the statement said.

    In addition, there are certain vigilance-related allegations against certain persons in the affidavit, which are based on overhearing by Prabhakar Sail, it said.

    “Zonal Director of Mumbai NCB Sameer Wankhede has categorically denied these allegations.

    As some of the contents of the affidavit are related to vigilance matter, we are hereby forwarding the affidavit to the Director General (DG) NCB and requesting him for further necessary action,” the statement added.

    Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut commented on the new developments.

    “Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray rightly said that the drug cases are made up to malign the image of Mumbai and Maharashtra therefore he demands the high-level inquiry in this entire case,” Raut said.

    pic.twitter.com/kCFLcbJj5k
    — Sudhir Suryawanshi (@ss_suryawanshi) October 24, 2021
    (With inputs from PTI)

  • Cruise ship drugs case: Financial transactions of accused are under scanner, says NCB official

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is scrutinizing the financial transactions of all the arrested accused including actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan in the cruise ship drugs seizure case, an official said on Saturday.

    He also said that the agency would oppose the bail plea of Aryan Khan before the Bombay High Court, scheduled for hearing on October 26.

    The NCB has so far arrested 20 persons after raiding a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast on October 2 and allegedly seizing narcotic drugs.

    The probe team has already collected transaction records of some of the accused from whom `commercial’ or large quantity of drugs (which attracts harsher punishment under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act) had been seized, the official said.

    The agency is also checking the accused persons’ sources of income.

    The investigating team is extracting deleted messages and WhatsApp chats from mobile phones, laptops and other electronic gadgets of the accused and checking if they used any other social media platforms for communicating with each other, the official said.

    The NCB had allegedly found MDMA from some of the accused during the raid.

    This drug is mostly sourced from Europe and the United States, and the agency was probing from where the accused obtained it, the official said.

    Hydroponic weed seized from the accused had been procured through the dark net (clandestine Internet portals), he claimed.

    Actor Ananya Panday, who has been questioned by the agency in connection with the case, was cooperating with the investigation, the NCB official said.

    On Thursday the agency conducted searches at six locations in the city and seized mobile phones, laptops and other electronic gadgets from some suspects, he said.

    Earlier in the morning, Shah Rukh Khan’s manager Pooja Dadlani was seen visiting the NCB office in Ballard Estate in south Mumbai.

    On Thursday, an NCB team had visited the actor’s residence ‘Mannat’ in suburban Bandra.

  • Cruise ship drugs case: NCB raids Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan’s residence in Mumbai

    Express News Service

    MUMBAI: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) conducted a raid at Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan’s residence Mannat in Mumbai on Thursday.

    This comes amid investigations in the cruise ship drugs case in which Shahrukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan was arrested on October 3.

    The special court of the NDPS rejected the bail application of Aryan Khan. However, he has approached the Bombay High Court for bail and the hearing is scheduled for October 26.

    The NCB also raided the residence of Ananya Pandey whose name allegedly surfaced in Aryan Khan’s WhatsApp chats. She is the daughter of actor Chunkey Pandey.

    Earlier in the day, Shahrukh Khan visited Arthur Road jail to meet his son Aryan Khan. 

  • ‘He knew what was in friend’s shoe’: Why court denied bail to Aryan Khan in drugs case

    Express News Service

    The special NDPS court on Wednesday denied bail to Shahrukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan and the other two accused in the cruise ship drugs case saying Khan was aware that his friend Arbaaz Merchant was carrying drugs in his shoe. 

    However, after the denial by the special court, Khan immediately approached the Bombay High Court for bail. 

    The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) mainly relied on Khan’s WhatsApp chats, the raid seizure panchnama and two disclosure statements under section 67 of the NDPS Act.

    “Moreover, WhatsApp chats prima facie reveal Aryan Khan was dealing in illicit drug activities for narcotic substances on a regular basis. Therefore it cannot be said that Khan is not likely to commit a similar offence while on bail,” said the special court judge VV Patil while refusing to give bail to Khan, Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha.

    The court further observed that material placed on record reveals the nexus of the accused Khan with suppliers and peddlers. Khan knew contraband was concealed in Merchant’s shoe. The court said that though nothing has been found from Khan, six grams of charas was found with Merchant, his friend, and circumstances go to show Khan knew about the contraband hidden in the shoe.

    “Admittedly, accused Aryan Khan and Arbaz Merchant are friends for long. They travelled together and they were apprehended together at the international cruise terminal. Further, in their voluntary statements, both of them disclosed that they possessed the said substance for their consumption and for enjoyment. Thus, all these things go to show that Aryan Khan was having knowledge of contraband concealed by Merchant in his shoes.”

    ALSO READ: Drugs case: Aryan Khan speaks to parents via video call from jail; gets Rs 4,500 via money-order

    The court said that since Khan allegedly knew about the charas in Merchant’s shoe, it can be said that it was in conscious possession of both the accused. Therefore, Khan’s counsel’s submission of no contraband being recovered from him should be discarded.

    The court added that there was a mention of a bulk quantity of drugs in the WhatsApp chats and there was prima facie material showing that Khan was in contact with persons dealing in prohibited narcotic substances as alleged by the prosecution.

    The court said that evidence on record shows the accused are part of a larger network. Relying on the Bombay High Court order in the Showik Chakraborty case, it said that since the accused are part of the conspiracy, each of them is liable for the entire quantity of drugs seized and that the case of each accused cannot be segregated from each other and cannot be considered in isolation.

    Further during the interrogation, they disclosed the names of those who supplied contraband to them. Thus all these facts prima facie go to show that the accused acted in conspiracy with each other, said the court.

    The court noted the argument that since all the accused are influential persons, they are likely to tamper with the evidence if released on bail. Khan has exclusive details of other foreign nationals and drug dealers who were in contact with him and he has not yet disclosed the names of these persons. If he is released on bail, then the entire investigation will be hampered, it said.

    The NCB arrested them on October 3 following a raid at the international departure terminal of a Goa-bound cruise ship the previous day. They are booked under sections 8(c) read with 20b (purchase), 27 (consumption), 28 (attempt to commit offence), 29 (abetment/ conspiracy) and 35 (presumption of culpable mental state) of the NDPS Act after six and five grams of charas were allegedly seized from his friend Merchant and model Dhamecha respectively.

  • Cruise ship drug case: HC refuses relief to Delhi-based businessman alleging media campaign

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court Thursday refused to grant any interim relief to a Delhi-based businessman alleging a “vicious media campaign” against him by a news company in connection with a drugs case involving the son of a Bollywood actor.

    Justice Rekha Palli, hearing the petition by Arjun Jain — an entrepreneur in the field of entertainment and event management — nonetheless asked the news channel to strictly abide by the existing guidelines in relation to responsible reporting.

    Earlier this month, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) busted a drugs party onboard a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast and arrested Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan and several others.

    The court opined that before any interim order is passed, it would examine the guidelines on news reporting by the Centre and News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA).

    The judge also remarked that given the “conduct” of the petitioner, she was not inclined to pass any order at this stage.

    “I’ve seen your client’s conduct. He has been in custody (before in another case). I’m issuing notice. This is not a case for giving any interim relief,” she stated.

    “I find some merit in respondent no 3 (news company)’s plea that the petitioner concealed certain confidential information (with respect to his resignation from the directorship of the company who allegedly managed the cruise). I am of the view that before any orders are passed, it is appropriate to examine the guidelines issued by respondents no. 1 (NBDSA) and 2 (Centre),” the court said.

    The court sought response from the news company, NBDSA and the central government on the petition which seeks the removal of all allegedly defamatory links and drafting of rules to address reportage of criminal investigations and trials as well as the creation of an emergency grievance redressal system for such reportage.

    “Respondent no 3 will act in a responsible manner and follow the guidelines issued by respondent no 1, respondent 2 and the Bombay High Court,” the court clarified.

    Lawyer Adit S Pujari, representing the petitioner, submitted that the news channel was maligning his client’s reputation by suggesting that he was involved in the event leading to the raid by the NCB.

    He stated that the news items claimed that he was the mastermind who organised the party and thus prayed that all such defamatory “links” be taken down.

    Advocate Hrishikesh Baruah, appearing for the news channel, argued that the petitioner had not come to court with clean hands as he concealed that he used to be associated with M/s Namascray Experience Pvt Ltd, one of the alleged organisers of the cruise.

    He also said that news reports either stated the facts or the information received from sources.

    Advocate Nisha Bhambhani, representing the NBDSA, said that there were enough guidelines in the form of code of ethics and rules to ensure that there is no sensationalisation of news.

    Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma who appeared along with lawyer Anurag Ahluwalia for the Centre agreed with the stand taken by NBDSA and said that there was a “fully robust regime” in place to deal with the grievances of the petitioner.

    In the petition, the petitioner has informed that the news company made “unsubstantiated allegations” that the petitioner was the mastermind who organised the alleged rave party and was an associate director of M/s Namascray Experience Pvt Ltd, one of the alleged organisers of the cruise.

    It informed that the petitioner was a mere shareholder possessing 50 per cent shares in M/s Whitefox Pvt. Ltd which is an entity having 30 per cent shares in Namascray.

    The matter would be heard next on January 31.

  • After busting drugs party, NCB searches cruise ship on its return to Mumbai

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The Narcotics Control Bureau searched a cruise ship on its return to Mumbai on Monday morning, two days after a drugs party onboard the vessel was busted off the city coast, an NCB official said.

    The NCB had arrested Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan and seven others, including two women, after the raid on the Goa-bound ship of the Cordelia Cruises company.

    On Monday, the NCB got information that the ship returned to the city after two days.

    Hence, NCB officials including its zonal director Sameer Wankhede reached the cruise terminal and searches were underway onboard the vessel, the official said.

    On Saturday evening, an NCB team, led by Wankhede, had raided the ship based on a tip-off that a party was scheduled onboard.

    The sleuths seized 13 gm of cocaine, five gm of MD, 21 gm of charas and 22 pills of Ecstasy and Rs 1.33 lakh, an official earlier said.

    During the raid, over 20 officials of the Mumbai NCB had boarded the ship posing as customers.

    ALSO READ | With you, SRK: Bollywood supports Shah Rukh Khan after son Aryan’s arrest in drugs case 

    There were 1,800 people on the ship but after checking all were asked to go except the eight, including Aryan Khan, the official said.

    Besides Aryan Khan, the arrested accused were identified as Munmun Dhamecha, Arbaaz Merchant, Ismeet Singh, Mohak Jaswal, Gomit Chopra, Nupur Sarika, and Vikrant Chhokar, the official said.

    A special holiday court had earlier remanded Aryan Khan, Munmun Dhamecha and Arbaaz Merchant in the NCB’s custody till Monday.

    The anti-drugs agency had kept a close watch on the cruise ship event for 15-20 days after receiving information that a drug party will be organised.

    After confirmation, the NCB conducted the raid on Saturday, officials earlier said.

    They had said the NCB may question officials of Delhi-based event management company Namas’cray, registered as Caneplus Trading Private Limited, and officials of the cruise company, Cordelia Cruises.

    The (Delhi-based) firm was tasked with the management of the event onboard Cordelia Cruises’ Empress ship, which was supposed to take place from October 2 to October 4.

    All known organisers of the event are now under the scanner of the NCB, an official of the anti-drug agency earlier said.

    The Narcotics Control Bureau is likely to summon officials of the cruise company and the event management firm in connection with the seizure of banned drugs on the ship, an NCB official said.

    The NCB will now determine whether any of the organisers had any knowledge about the drugs being brought and consumed onboard during the three-day cruise in the Arabian Sea.

    Three additional directors of the event management company are now under the lens of the agency, the official added.

    The cruise company in a statement on Sunday said it had nothing to do with this incident.