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By Divyesh Singh: Many names of suspects in the drugs-on-cruise case have been removed while some have been added later in the Final Note (I-Note). The additions were subsequently made through modifications to suit the proceedings. Actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son, Aryan Khan, was arrested from the cruise terminal during the raids, jailed and later given a clean chit for lack of any evidence against him.
The Central Bureau of Investigation’s FIR against the Narcotics Control Bureau’s former Zonal Director, Mumbai, Sameer Wankhede, and others revealed that during the searches at the Cruise Terminal on October 2, 2021, names of certain suspects were dropped while others were added later to suit the proceedings.
As per a report by the Special Enquiry Team (SET), the initial First Note named 27 people but the modified one had just 10. A number of passengers were searched and examined at the departure gate of the terminal by then Intelligence Officer of the NCB Ashish Ranjan. Ranjan is now an accused.
During this, one of the suspects, Arbaaz Merchant, accepted that he had charas in a zip lock pouch hidden inside his shoes. He took out the pouch voluntarily and handed it over to Ashish Ranjan. Many others, whose names were with the NCB officials, were searched as suspects but were not documented. A few of the suspects were also allowed to leave, the CBI’s FIR against the accused said.
Also Read | ‘Witnesses’ aided by Sameer Wankhede threatened Shah Rukh Khan, tried to extort Rs 25 cr: CBI FIR
The FIR also said that one Siddharth Shah, who allegedly supplied charas to Arbaz Merchant, was also allowed to walk free even though Shah had accepted that he received money from Arbaz for the drug. There were incriminating chats that showed Shah was consuming the drugs.
INDEPENDENT WITNESS KP GOSAVI’S ROLE
The SET probe further revealed that the accused were brought to the NCB office in the private vehicle of an independent witness, KP Gosavi. It appeared that Gosavi was kept around the accused to intentionally give an impression that he was an NCB officer even though there were officers of the anti-drugs body to handle the accused. Gosavi hit headlines with his selfie with Aryan Khan while in custody.
Gosavi was allowed to be present with the accused and to come to the NCB office after the raid, which is against the norms set for independent witnesses. He took this freedom and clicked selfies and recorded voice notes of Aryan Khan.
The FIR also said that this access allowed Gosavi, his aide Sanvile D’Souza and others to conspire and extort Rs 25 crore from actor Shah Rukh Khan by threatening to accuse his son of being in possession of drugs.
Also Read | Aryan Khan arrest comes back to bite officers who probed case. Here’s what you need to know
This amount was finally settled at Rs 18 crore. A token amount of Rs 50 lakh was also taken by Gosavi and Sanvile D’Souza but later a part of this Rs 50 lakh was returned by them.
FINDINGS BY NCB VIGILANCE AGAINST SAMEER WANKHEDE
According to the CBI’s FIR, Sameer Wankhede in the capacity of the immediate supervisory officer directed to take KP Gosavi and Prabhakar Sail as independent witnesses in the case. He also directed superintendent VV Singh to let Gosavi handle the accused while they were taken to the NCB’s office. This created an impression that Gosavi had the custody of the accused.
The report by the NCB’s vigilance branch also said that probes into the allegations of criminal misconduct and corrupt practices by Sameer Wankhede and Ashish Ranjan could not sufficiently justify their acquired assets vis-a-vis their declared incomes.
The vigilance branch noted that Wankhede did not properly explain his foreign visits and allegedly falsified expenditures of his foreign travels. Sameer Wankhede indulged himself in sale and purchase of expensive wrist watches with a private entity – one Viral Rajan – without intimating his current or parent departments, the vigilance branch said. Wankhede, an Indian Revenue Services officer, was deputed with the NCB when the raids happened.
Also Read | CBI files corruption case against Aryan Khan case officer Sameer Wankhede
Following these findings, the vigilance team gave their report and said: “In view of the above, the competent authority has accorded previous approval u/s 17(A) of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 (as amended in 2018) and has directed to conduct a detailed enquiry investigation against the then officials of NCB, Mumbai Zonal Unit (MZU) viz. (1) Sh. Sameer Wankhede, IRS (C&CE:2008) (2) Sh. V.V. Singh, Supdt. NCB and (3) Sh. Ashish Ranjan, the then IO, into this matter by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the aspects of obtainment and attempt to obtain an undue advantage, with the intention to perform or cause performance of public duty improperly, dishonestly and to cause forbearance to perform such duty by them or by another public servant by entering into criminal conspiracy and all other issues connected with case no, 94 of 2021 of Mumbai Zone of NCB.”
“It is therefore requested that enquiry or investigation as deemed fit may be conducted against (1) Sh. Sameer Wankhede, IRS (C&CE: 2008), the then Zonal Director, NCB, Mumbai Zonal Unit (2) Sh. V.V. Singh, the then Supdt., NCB, Mumbai Zonal Unit(3) Sh. Ashish Ranjan, the then IO, NCB, Mumbai Zonal Unit and other persons for the commission of offences as mentioned above, as per the provisions of law,” the report added.
Also Read | Punished for being patriot: Aryan Khan case officer Sameer Wankhede on CBI raids
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