News Analysis India

Tag: Sameer Wankhede

  • NCB team probing allegations against officials in Aryan case to return to Mumbai next week

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: A Special Enquiry Team (SET) formed to look into allegations of extortion attempt against NCB officials in connection with the drugs-on-cruise ship case will return to Mumbai on Monday, said an official.

    The five-member SET, headed by NCB Deputy Director General Gyaneshwar Singh, was formed to conduct inquiry into allegations made by independent witness Prabhakar Sail and others.

    It had left Mumbai before Diwali after failing to record Sail’s statement.

    Sail has leveled allegations against Narcotics Control Bureau officials including its zonal director Sameer Wankhede, claiming that there was an attempt to extort money for letting off Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, in the case.

    Aryan (23) got bail recently after being arrested during the NCB’s alleged drug bust on a cruise ship on October 2.

    The SET will return to Mumbai on Monday and will resume the inquiry, said the official.

    It will record statements of everyone who is named in an affidavit filed by Sail, he said.

    “First we want to record Sail’s statement because he is a crucial witness,” the official added.

    When asked if Shah Rukh Khan’s manager Pooja Dadlani’s statement will be recorded, the official said whoever was connected to the case will be questioned.

    Dadlani had been allegedly contacted by some persons involved in the attempt to extort money after Aryan was apprehended.

    The SET had stayed in the city from October 27 to 30 and recorded statements of eight persons including Wankhede, but could not contact Sail.

    It had also asked for help from Mumbai police who are conducting a separate probe in the extortion allegation and who had recorded Sail’s statement.

  • Sameer Wankhede removed from Aryan Khan case probe, Delhi NCB’s SIT to take over

    By Online Desk

    The zonal director of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Sameer Wankhede, who is probing the Aryan Khan drugs case, has been removed from his role as the lead investigator.

    The development comes following allegations of Rs 8 crore payoff linked to the drugs-on-cruise case and extortion of Bollywood actors. Questions are also being raised over his “extravagant” lifestyle.

    Wankhede, however, downplayed the development saying that the move was in line with his demand for a central probe into the drugs-on-cruise case. “I had also filed a petition asking that either a central agency or the NCB’s Delhi unit should take over the probe into the Aryan Khan case and the Nawab Malik case,” he told a private news channel.

    “I’ve not been removed from the investigation. It was my writ petition in court that the matter be probed by a central agency. So Aryan case & Sameer Khan case are being probed by Delhi NCB’s SIT. It’s a coordination b/w NCB teams of Delhi & Mumbai,” NCB Zonal Dir Sameer Wankhede was quoted by news agency ANI as saying. 

    Apart from the drugs-on-cruise case, the NCB director-general has decided to transfer four other high-profile cases from the agency’s Mumbai zonal unit to its central team, according to sources. A special investigation team (SIT), led by senior police officer Sanjay Singh, will take over all the five cases which were being handled by Wankhede.

    On Monday, Wankhede had visited the NCB headquarters in Delhi and met his seniors. He was seen entering the NCB head office soon after he met National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) chairperson Vijay Sampla.

    NCB deputy director-general (northern region) Gyaneshwar Singh is conducting a departmental vigilance probe into allegations of extortion made in the drugs-on-cruise case in which Wankhede and his team had been arrested Aryan Khan and seven others on October 3 from the international cruise terminal in Mumbai.

  • ‘Why didn’t you initiate probe against me?’ Nawab Malik hits back at Fadnavis over Sameer Wankhede row

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Intensifying his attack on Sameer Wankhede, Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik on Tuesday accused Narcotics Control Bureau zonal director of extorting crores and using uber expensive clothes beyond the reach of an honest and an upright officer.

    The NCP spokesperson also hit out at former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, rubbishing the claim that he has links with the underworld.

    “If that was the case, why was no probe initiated against me when you (Fadnavis) were the CM,” he added.

    Malik questioned Fadnavis for not acting against him despite being the chief minister of the state for five years.

    After Malik sought to link Fadnavis and his banker-singer wife Amruta with an alleged drug peddler, the BJP leader on Monday said he would expose his underworld links after Diwali.

    On Wankhede, Malik claimed the officer wore a trouser worth a lakh, a shirt costing over Rs 70,000 and watches worth Rs 25-50 lakh.

    “How can an honest and upright officer claim to afford such expensive clothes,” he said.

    “He (Wankhede) extorted crores by wrongly framing people,” Malik said, adding the NCB official had a private army to do the job.

    Malik claimed that Wankhede implicated people in fake cases.

    Malik also claimed that since the last 15 days, there are three containers with drugs lying at the JNPT.

    He questioned why no action has been taken by the Department of Revenue Intelligence on this.

  • Uddhav Thackeray refuses to get drawn into Nawab Malik-Sameer Wankhede row

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday sidestepped questions related to controversy over allegations made by his cabinet colleague Nawab Malik against Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede.

    On COVID-19, he said the pace of vaccination has slowed down and added that a third wave of the pandemic will depend on new variants of coronavirus.

    Asked about Malik’s allegations against former CM and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis over alleged links with drug peddlers, Thackeray remarked, “There are mutations in the allegations. Let’s see what happens.”

    ALSO READ | Nawab Malik tweets pics of Devendra Fadnavis with alleged drug peddler; ex-CM says will expose minister

    Earlier in the day, Malik tweeted a photograph of an alleged narcotics dealer with Fadnavis’ wife Amruta.

    Fadnavis said Malik’s tweet reflected his mentality and claimed he will “burst a bomb” after Diwali by making revelations about the NCP minister’s “underworld links”.

    In an informal interaction with media persons ahead of Diwali, Thackeray refused to comment on political issues and questions related to Malik’s allegations against Wankhede.

    The IRS officer is in the eye of a political storm after Malik accused him of forging documents to get a government job, lying about his religion and arresting people in “bogus” drugs cases.

    Wankhede has denied all allegations.

    ​ALSO READ | Nawab Malik vs Sameer Wankhede: NCB official to meet NCSC chairperson in Delhi, submit caste documents

    Speaking on the coronavirus situation in the state, he said, “The pace of vaccination has slowed down. More awareness is necessary to expedite the vaccination drive. A third wave is still unpredictable. All depends on new variants and mutations.”

    He said COVID-19 protocols must be followed though almost all restrictions related to coronavirus have been lifted.

    Thackeray, whose three-party coalition government will complete two years in office this month-end, said he has not changed as a person after becoming CM.

    The chief minister lashed out at his critics for commenting that he has not been visiting Mantralaya (state secretariat) and working from there.

    “I want to know what great work has been done by those who used to sit in Mantralaya,” he said, without naming the BJP, the main opposition party in the state and his former ally.

    Asked about marriage plans for his son and cabinet minister Aaditya Thackeray (31), the CM quipped, “First, I would have to know his mann ki baat.”

    ​ALSO READ | My fight against Wankhede’s fraud, says Nawab Malik as Uddhav government mulls probe against NCB official

    The CM lamented his priorities as chief minister in coronavirus times have not allowed him to pursue his passion of photography.

    “I have not done anything (related to photography) except keeping my camera’s battery charged. If things would have gone as decided, I would have invited you to my photo exhibition,” said the Shiv Sena leader, a photography enthusiast.

    After the 2019 assembly polls, the BJP and the Shiv Sena ended their partnership over differences on sharing power and the latter joined hands with the NCP and the Congress to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

  • Sameer Wankhede visits NCB headquarters after submitting caste documents to NCSC chairperson

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: NCB Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede on Monday visited the federal anti-narcotics agency’s headquarters here and met senior officers, officials said.

    Wankhede was seen entering the head office of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in the national capital’s R K Puram area soon after he met National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) chairperson Vijay Sampla.

    “I have presented all the documents and facts as sought by the commission (NCSC)….there will be a verification of my complaint and the honourable chairperson will soon give you a response,” Wankhede told reporters after the meeting.

    Fighting allegations that he forged his caste certificate and other documents to secure a job as an IRS officer under the SC quota after clearing the UPSC examination, Wankedhe earlier presented his original caste papers to Sampla to prove he is a Dalit.

    ALSO READ | Nawab Malik vs Sameer Wankhede: NCB official to meet NCSC chairperson in Delhi, submit caste documents

    Officials said Wankhede visited the NCB headquarters for some “official work”.

    It was not immediately known if he met NCB director general S N Pradhan or deputy director general (northern region) Gyaneshwar Singh.

    He had last visited the NCB headquarters here on October 26.

    Officials had said the visit of the Mumbai NCB director was with regard to a review meeting.

    Singh is conducting a departmental vigilance probe into allegations of extortion made in the drugs-on-cruise case in which Wankhede and his team had arrested actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan and seven others on October 3 from the international cruise terminal in Mumbai.

    At least 20 people have been arrested in this case till now.

    Prabhakar Sail, an independent witness in the cruise drugs case, had claimed and filed an affidavit that there was an extortion bid of Rs 25 crore by some agency officials and others for letting off Aryan Khan from the case.

    Sail had stated that he overheard that a “bribe” of Rs 8 crore was to be paid to Wankhede out of this money.

    The Mumbai NCB chief has denied these claims.

    Sail claims to be the bodyguard of a private person and another witness in this case, K P Gosavi, who was recently arrested by the Pune police in a fraud case pending against him.

    Gosavi’s close proximity and photographs with Aryan Khan during NCB raids had raised questions.

    They are part of the agency’s departmental vigilance probe.

    Statements of Wankhede and some Mumbai zone officers have already been recorded by the five-member vigilance team headed by Singh.

  • Sameer Wankhede visits NCB headquarters after meeting NCSC chairperson in Delhi

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: NCB Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede on Monday visited the federal anti-narcotics agency’s headquarters here and met senior officers, officials said.

    Wankhede was seen entering the head office of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in the national capital’s R K Puram area soon after he met National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) chairperson Vijay Sampla.

    “I have presented all the documents and facts as sought by the commission (NCSC)….there will be a verification of my complaint and the honourable chairperson will soon give you a response,” Wankhede told reporters after the meeting.

    Fighting allegations that he forged his caste certificate and other documents to secure a job as an IRS officer under the SC quota after clearing the UPSC examination, Wankedhe earlier presented his original caste papers to Sampla to prove he is a Dalit.

    Officials said Wankhede visited the NCB headquarters for some “official work”.

    It was not immediately known if he met NCB director general S N Pradhan or deputy director general (northern region) Gyaneshwar Singh.

    He had last visited the NCB headquarters here on October 26.

    Officials had said the visit of the Mumbai NCB director was with regard to a review meeting.

    Singh is conducting a departmental vigilance probe into allegations of extortion made in the drugs-on-cruise case in which Wankhede and his team had arrested actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan and seven others on October 3 from the international cruise terminal in Mumbai.

    At least 20 people have been arrested in this case till now.

    Prabhakar Sail, an independent witness in the cruise drugs case, had claimed and filed an affidavit that there was an extortion bid of Rs 25 crore by some agency officials and others for letting off Aryan Khan from the case.

    Sail had stated that he overheard that a “bribe” of Rs 8 crore was to be paid to Wankhede out of this money.

    The Mumbai NCB chief has denied these claims.

    Sail claims to be the bodyguard of a private person and another witness in this case, K P Gosavi, who was recently arrested by the Pune police in a fraud case pending against him.

    Gosavi’s close proximity and photographs with Aryan Khan during NCB raids had raised questions.

    They are part of the agency’s departmental vigilance probe.

    Statements of Wankhede and some Mumbai zone officers have already been recorded by the five-member vigilance team headed by Singh.

  • Nawab Malik vs Sameer Wankhede: NCB official to meet NCSC chairperson in Delhi, submit caste documents

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Sameer Wankhede, the Narcotics Control Bureau’s Mumbai zonal head, will meet National Commission for Scheduled Castes chairperson Vijay Sampla here on Monday to present his original caste documents to prove that he is a Dalit, sources said.

    Wankhede will meet Sampla at the NCSC office here at around 12 pm, sources said.

    Wankhede is leading the probe in the cruise drugs case in which actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan was arrested.

    The NCB has ordered a vigilance inquiry into the allegations made by a witness in the case of an extortion bid of Rs 25 crore by some agency officials, including Wankhede, and others for letting off Khan.

    Manharashtra minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik has levelled a series of allegations against Wankhede.

    Among other things, he has accused the officer of forging his caste certificate and other documents to secure a job as IRS officer under the SC quota after clearing the UPSC examination.

    Malik claimed that Wankhede is a Muslim by birth, although the latter has denied it On Sunday, Arun Halder, vice chairman of the NCSC had come out in Wankhede’s support, saying the officer is doing good work and making his department proud, but a minister has launched a personal attack against him and his family members.

    Halder also visited Wankhede’s residence in Mumbai.

  • SC commission visits Sameer Wankhede’s house to verify caste certificates

    Express News Service

    MUMBAI: After NCP minister Nawab Malik’s allegations against NCB Director Sameer Wankhede for illegally obtaining the bogus Hindu scheduled caste certificate, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) on Sunday met Sameer and his family at their residence to check their certificates.

    Earlier, NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede had denied the allegations levelled against him by Nawab Malik. He also clarified that his father is a Hindu while his late mother was a Muslim. “I got married under a special marriage act. I am entitled to get my father’s caste benefits,” he added.

    NCP minister Nawab Malik said he is 100% sure that Sameer Wankhede has forged his caste certificate. He also said the national commission of SC has no right and jurisdiction to check and verify the caste certificate that is done by the state caste verifications committee.

    Following the allegations, Sameer Wankhede had registered a complaint with the NCSC and the commission initiated an inquiry into the matter. He also presented his caste certificates before the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) on Sunday.

    After meeting Sameer Wankhede and his family at their residence, NCSC Vice Chairmen Arun Haldar said, “An officer cannot give a forged certificate to a commission. I have seen the certificates and after seeing them I think they are genuine.”

    Haldar further said that he heard the news about how some quarters were trying to conspire against Sameer Wankhede.

    “But the commission is here to safeguard a Scheduled Caste family. That’s why this commission was formed in the first place. If we find that some people are involved in this conspiracy, then under Article 338, we will put the Prevention of Atrocities Act on them,” he said.

    Nawab Malik had alleged that Sameer Wankhede is a Muslim by birth and had forged his caste certificate in order to qualify for the civil services under the Scheduled Caste quota.

    Sameer’s wife Kranti Redkar said that the officials saw the original documents and they were “satisfied” and “happy”.

    “Earlier, we had shown the xerox and attested copies but today they had the chance to see the originals. Now it’s time to investigate those who levelled allegations against us,” she said.

    Earlier in the day, Kranti Redkar, along with Sameer Wankhede’s father, met Union minister Ramdas Athawale and showed him various documents. The minister said that he would support the Wankhede family.

    Sameer Wankhede’s father earlier said that he’s a Dalit and follows Babasaheb Ambedkar. He also requested Maharashtra Cabinet minister Nawab Malik not to malign his family with wrong accusations.

    Wankhede was at the forefront of the investigation in the Mumbai cruise drugs case involving Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan.

  • NCB official Sameer Wankhede’s wife says her family’s safety in jeopardy

    By ANI

    MUMBAI: Zonal Director of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Mumbai unit Sameer Wankhede’s wife Kranti Redkar Wankhede on Sunday, October 31, 2021, said the “safety of her husband and family is in jeopardy” and asked for security.

    Speaking to ANI, Redkar said, “The safety of Sameer Wankhede and her family members is in jeopardy. Three people conducted a recce of the house some days back. These people are very dangerous what they can do, have no clue about that.”

    The National Commission for Scheduled Castes Vice Chairmen Arun Haldar also visited the residence of NCB officer Sameer Wankhede who is in charge of the investigation in the drugs-on-cruise case.

    ALSO: Nawab Malik says he published photos of Sameer Wankhede’s former wife with her consent

    Redkar said Arun Haldar came here to see some original documents. Now the investigation will be conducted against the people who were making allegations against us, she said.

    Speaking on her family safety, Sameer Wankhede’s wife said, “We will provide the CCTV footage to the police. Security should be provided to the family.”

    “My children are very young, the safety is very important in that perspective. When we (Sameer and I) are not home who will take care of their safety? she asked.

    Earlier in the drug-on-cruise case, Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik had accused Sameer Wankhede of favouritism. Along with this, he also made serious allegations like extortion and has also raised questions on Wankhede’s birth certificate and marriage.

    An NCB team busted an alleged drugs party on the Cordelia Cruise ship, which was on its way to Goa at mid-sea on October 2.

    A total of 20 people, including Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan, have been arrested so far in the case. 

  • Cruise drugs case: Arbaaz Merchant released from jail 

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Arbaaz Merchant, who was arrested by the NCB in the cruise drugs case on October 3, was released from the Arthur Road prison in central Mumbai on Sunday, October 31, 2021, three days after he was granted bail by the Bombay High Court.

    The high court had on Thursday allowed the bail plea of Merchant along with that of Aryan Khan, son of actor Shah Rukh Khan, and fashion model Munmun Dhamecha, who were also arrested in the same case by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

    While Aryan Khan was released from the Arthur Road jail on October 30, Dhamecha walked out of the Byculla women’s jail here around 11 am on October 31.

    Merchant was released from jail later in the day after completion of all the legal formalities.

    Talking to reporters outside the jail, his father Aslam Merchant said, “Strict conditions have been set by the high court while granting bail to him. But being an advocate, I will ensure that these conditions are complied with. We like to follow the rules and regulations…He will not do anything that may go against him.”

    On Friday afternoon, the high court had made available its operative order in which it imposed 14 bail conditions on Aryan Khan, Merchant and Dhamecha, stipulating their release on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh each with one or two sureties of the same amount.

    In the five-page order, the high court said the trio will have to surrender their passports before the NDPS court and shall not leave India without taking permission from the special court.

    They will also have to attend the NCB office each Friday between 11 am and 2 pm to mark their presence.

    A special court in Mumbai had on Saturday granted bail to alleged drug peddler Aachit Kumar and eight others, who were arrested by the NCB following the raid on the cruise ship.

    Of the 20 persons arrested by the NCB after the raid, as many as 14 have got bail so far.