New Delhi, Oct 26 (Agency) Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Mumbai Zone Director Sameer Wankhede, who has been leading the probe into the cruise drugs case in which actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan has been arrested, on Tuesday visited NCB Headquarters here amidst a controversy surrounding him in relation to the investigation. He reached NCB headquarters around 12 noon and was there for about 3 hours, during which he is believed to have met officers senior to him. A team of NCB, led by Wankhede, had earlier this month alleged that it seized drugs onboard a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast, in connection with which Aryan Khan was arrested on October 3. When confronted by the media on his arrival in Delhi, Wankhede insisted that he was not summoned by the Headquarters but was here “for some work”.
The visit to the Headquarters assumes significance as it comes amidst allegations of bribery against Wankhede in connection with the Aryan Khan case. Wankhede has denied all the allegations as “baseless” and has offered to cooperate in any probe initiated against him. The allegations of bribery against Wankhede have been levelled by Prabhakar Sail, a witness in the cruise drugs bust case. Sail has since approached Mumbai Police, claiming that he fears threat to his and his family’s lives and wanted police protection. Appearing before Special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) court Judge VV Patil on Monday, Wankhede said he was being targeted and is ready for any investigation. In this regard, two affidavits were also filed — one by the NCB and another by Wankhede. “Charges levelled against Sameer Wankhede are being investigated,” NCB Deputy Director General Gyaneshwar Singh has said.