NCB witness Prabhakar Sail’s statements have triggered a major political war with the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi allies Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress slamming the central agency and Wankhede…reports Asian Lite News.
Apparently rattled by the revelations of a witness in the raid on a cruise ship rave party, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede on Sunday sought police help to protect him from possible “legal action”.
In a letter to the Mumbai Commissioner of Police (Hemant Nagrale), Wankhede claimed that he has learnt of “some precipitate legal action” for framing him falsely, is being planned by some unknown persons concerning the raid on the cruiser on October 2.
Indirectly referring to a statement by Nationalist Congress Party national Spokesperson and Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik last week, the NCB chief wrote: “It is also brought to your notice that threat of jail and dismissal have been issued against the undersigned on public media by highly respectable public functionaries.”
In what is viewed as a pre-emptive move, the IRS officer also asked the Mumbai Police chief to “ensure that no such precipitate legal action” is carried out to frame and falsely implicate him with ulterior motives.
Wankhede – who had earlier complained to the city and state police alleging threats to life – reminded Nagrale that NCB Deputy Director-General, South West Region, Mutha Ashok Jain, has already referred the latest matter (the witness’ sensational revelations) to the NCB headquarters for necessary action.
NCB witness Prabhakar Sail’s statements have triggered a major political war with the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi allies Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress slamming the central agency and Wankhede.
The MVA partners have demanded a suo moto investigation by the Mumbai Police, setting up of a Special Investigation Team to probe the NCB affairs, intervention of the Supreme Court, etc.
Sail remained in the waiting area of the International Cruise Terminal and that afternoon Gosavi sent him few pictures on WhatsApp with instructions to keep a lookout for them…reports Asian Lite News.
The stunning revelations by an ‘independent witness’ on the circumstances preceding the cruise ship party raids seem to knock the wind out of the sails of the Narcotics Control Bureau’s claims in the sensational operation with 8 youngsters arrested, including Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan.
Prabhakat R. Sail, 40, released the affidavit of October 23, on Sunday with startling revelations on his ‘boss’, Kiran P. Gosavi, currently absconding, on the events prior to the rave party raided by NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede and his team on October 2.
Sharukh khan’s son aryan khan being taken to court for being produced in drugs case ,police is not seeking to extend his custody , will be produced directly in court . Decision awaited on bail (Photo:Pallav Paliwal)
He mentioned how he was ordered to remain present near the NCB office on October 2 morning when Gosavi was closeted with the agency sleuths, came out with one officer and left with him and at noon summoned him to the Green Gate.
There, Sail and Gosavi bought lot of foodstuff including Frankie rolls, cold drinks and water which they took inside the Green Gate near the boarding pad of the cruise ship, and he distributed the eats to Wankhede and other NCB staffers.
Sail remained in the waiting area of the International Cruise Terminal and that afternoon Gosavi sent him few pictures on WhatsApp with instructions to keep a lookout for them.
He identified one of the persons and informed Gosavi who replied that he along with 12 others was caught by the NCB.
At 7 p.m. that day, Gosavi asked Sail to bring his Innova car inside after telling the CISF security personnel Sameer Wankhede’s name, but the security did not permit the vehicle, forcing him (Gosavi) to come out, change his clothes and again entered the Green Gate.
That night, around 10.30 p.m., Gosavi summoned Sail to the cruiser boarding area where he noticed Aryan Khan, Munmun Dhamecha and others in one of the cabins with the NCB sleuths who had just ‘raided’ the ship.
Shortly after midnight, Gosavi and an NCB officer took Aryan Khan in the Innova car to the NCB office, while Sail walked down.
Just then, Sail said he got a call from Gosavi instructing him to become a ‘witness’ in the case, and at the NCB office, Wankhede directed him to one aide named Salekar who took his signature on 10 blank papers, and provided a soft copy of his Aadhaar Card.
Later, Gosavi came down to meet one person named Sam D’Souza, after their brief meetings around the NCB office.
Then, Sail said he and Gosavi left in their Innova, while D’Souza followed them in his Innova Crysta, till the Worli Big Bazaar.
During the early morning ride, Sail said he heard Gosavi telling D’Souza to “put a bomb of Rs 25 crore” and finally settle at Rs 18 crore as “we have to give Rs 8 crore to Sameer Wankhede”.
NCB witness’ bribe allegations sparks off Maha political storm (IANS)
Subsequently, SRK’s manager Pooja Dadlani reached there in a blue Mercedes car, after the quick meeting, Sail and Gosavi went near Mantralaya to meet someone, and then they went to Vashi.
Again, Gosavi asked Sail to go near the Indiana Hotel at Tardeo and collect cash, from someone who came in a white car around 9.45 a.m., handed over two bags full of cash which he (Sail) promptly took to his ‘boss’ in Vashi.
That evening, Gosavi called D’Souza and told Sail to go and hand over the cash bags to him near Inorbit Mall in Vashi, but D’Souza asked him to come near Trident Hotel instead.
After D’Souza counted the cash it was only Rs 38 lakh and Sail returned to Vashi.
“I say that Gosavi is missing now and I now fear that NCB officials and other persons involved may kill me or abduct me like Gosavi. As seen in big cases, witnesses often are killed or taken away and I therefore want to state the truth,” Sail signed off.
Though Wankhede has denied Sail’s allegations, the NCB Deputy Director, South West Region Mutha Ashok Jain has taken strong congnisance and sent them to the NCB headquarters, New Delhi for suitable action.
Sail’s closing sentence is reminiscent of the brutal end to Manshukh Hiran, probably the man who knew too much, about the sensational incident of planting a car with some explosives near the home of industrialist Mukesh Ambani in February.
Sharukh khan's son aryan khan being taken to court for being produced in drugs case ,police is not seeking to extend his custody , will be produced directly in court . Decision awaited on bail (photo:pallav paliwal)
In the order, ACMM Nerlikar noted that the accused (Aryan Khan) had accompanied the co-accused (Merchant) from whom the contraband drugs were recovered…reports Asian Lite News.
Spelling a setback, a Mumbai Magistrate Court on Monday extended the NCB custody of Aryan Khan – son of Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan and producer Gauri Khan till October 7, though no drugs were found from him during the rave party bust aboard a luxury cruise ship on Saturday (October 2).
At a hearing on Monday, the Additional Chief Metropolitan Court R.M. Nerlikar also sent the two co-accused Munmun Dhamecha and Arbaaz Merchant to the custody of Narcotics Control Bureau till October 7.
After several hours of heated arguments between the NCB lawyers and the advocates of the three accused, the court rejected the latter’s plea for bail and sent them to the agency’s custody for another 3 days.
In the order, ACMM Nerlikar noted that the accused (Aryan Khan) had accompanied the co-accused (Merchant) from whom the contraband drugs were recovered.
Seeking extended custody for the accused trio till October 11, the Additional Solicitor-General Anil Singh argued that links found on Aryan Khan’s WhatsApp chats point to an international racket.
Besides the 8 nabbed from the swoop on the cruiser, Singh said that one more person has been arrested by the NCB from Juhu and recovered ‘commercial quantity’ of drugs from him, and the custody of the accused trio was necessary to unearth their nexus.
Sharukh khan’s son Aryan khan being taken to court for being produced in drugs case ,police is not seeking to extend his custody , will be produced directly in court . Decision awaited on bail (photo: Pallav Paliwal)
Making a strong plea for bail, Khan’s lawyer Satish Maneshinde said that he was invited by the party organisers, he did not pay for the party, was allotted the best suite on the ship, no drugs were found on him, but a small quantity of 6-gm Charas was recovered from his friend Merchant.
Merchant’s lawyer Taraq K. Sayed pointed out that the NCB remand application was absolutely silent on the quantity of drugs recovered from each accused.
At this, when the ACMM asked the agency, the NCB replied that small quantities of 6 gm and 5 gm respectively were recovered from Merchant and Dhamecha, besides 5 gm MDMA and 10 gm Cocaine found from another accused Vikrant Chhoker, but did not mention Aryan Khan’s name here.
Singh contended that though commercial quantity of drugs may not be found, the accused trio’s custody was required for a few days more to find out the links, who is the sources, how it was financed.
Sharukh khan’s son aryan khan being taken to court for being produced in drugs case ,police is not seeking to extend his custody , will be produced directly in court . Decision awaited on bail (Photo:Pallav paliwal)
The NCB added that Aryan Khan’s phone was being investigated to ascertain his involvement in the consumption or possession of drugs, and Maneshinde cited past judgements to prove that commercial quantity of drugs found on someone else cannot be used to incriminate another accused, while WhatsApp chats can’t be used to frame the accused.
The trio was produced before the court after their one-day remand granted on Sunday ended on Monday.
Advocate Satish Maneshinde represented Aryan Khan in court, who has been booked under various sections of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) for possession and consumption of banned substances…reports Asian Lite News.
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has categorically clarified that the man in a widely circulated picture with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s son, Aryan Khan, is not an officer or employee of the NCB. The clarification comes amid a local Mumbai court hearing the case of three members from a cruise party, including Aryan Khan, Arbaz Seth Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha, who were arrested in a drug case on Sunday. The trio has been produced before a metropolitan magistrate’s court and remanded to NCB custody till October 4.
The picture, purportedly taken at the NCB custody ahead of questioning, went viral shortly after the NCB raid came to light.
Advocate Satish Maneshinde represented Aryan Khan in court, who has been booked under various sections of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) for possession and consumption of banned substances.
A total of eight people were detained late on Saturday night by NCB sleuths after they raided Goa-bound Cordelia cruise ship on Mumbai coast and seized 13gm cocaine, 21gm charas, 22 pills of MDMA (ecstasy), 5gm MD, and Rs 1.33 lakh in cash.
The NCB received a tip-off that a rave party was going to be held on the cruise ship and few people associated with the film industry might be present. They narcotics watchdog had information that drugs will be used at the party.
Meanwhile, the cruise ship owners said that they were in no way involved in organising the rave party. “Cordelia Cruises is in no way, directly or indirectly, connected to this incident. Cordelia Cruises had chartered its ship for a private event to a Delhi-based event management company,” Jurgen Bailom, Chief Executive Officer and President, Waterways Leisure Tourism Pvt Ltd said in the statem
