A popular face in Marathi films, television and theatre, Kranti Redkar also has the distinction of being Narcotics Control Bureau’s (NCB) Zonal Director, Sameer Wankhede’s wife. As he husband faces a swarm of allegations from several political sources, the firebrand Kranti speaks to ETimes and clears the air on the several speculations being associated with Sameer Wankhede. Kranti doesn’t mince her words and she’s boldly asserting that her husband is merely serving his country and standing up for a noble cause. Excerpts:

Today, Sameer Wankhede’s father Dnyandev Wankhede had to come forward and clarify about his son’s religion and name. How do you feel about that?

It is really sad what’s happened today. They are stooping so low. If they have to prove something, it should be related to the case and not something that’s personal. Whatever they want to say, they should go to the court. There is a judiciary to listen to your pleas and give judgement and if somebody is wrong the judiciary can put them in jail. Why are people doing it on social media and who are these PR agencies? Who has hired these PR agencies, who are threatening me and Sameer? They talk about hanging us and this open trolling is happening and when you see the people who are commenting, they are not real followers. They have zero followers and zero tweets. They are all fake accounts. These people are totally trying to scare us.

Is your husband, Sameer Wankhede being targeted because he is going after Bollywood?


Out of the 100 people who are caught only two or three are from Bollywood but the media focus is on the three and no mention is made about the rest of them. It is only because the famous people have billions of followers and then in the end it becomes all about Bollywood, which is not the case. Sameer does not give special treatment for some and he will not ill-treat them because they are from the industry. For him everyone is the same.

I know the film industry is miffed and I also feel that everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. A lot of people have spoken in this case and that is fine. They have done it in a dignified way and shown support. Some have said that they are not okay with this kind of investigation. I respect that but hitting somebody below the belt is not right and that is what is happening right now.

Do you feel all these attacks are infringing on your personal life?


Showing the photograph of the woman to the media and claiming that she is the ex-wife of Sameer Wankhede is not fair to the lady. Doesn’t she have a personal life? What if she has moved on in her life, she may have personal equations with somebody and those people may not be liking what is happening in the media. She may have to face the music because of how her photographs have been used in a public platform.

Are you worried about Sameer’s life and security?


They are probably doing it because they want him out of the NCB. They want him to resign and that is what those people desire. They cannot digest an honest officer and prefer those who can be bribed and kept in their pocket. But here is an officer who is challenging the system and anyone who goes against the so-called biggies is bound to get targeted

There has been a lot of speculation around Sameer taking a bribe and foreign trips, too…


Arre! Why would we go to Maldives after he got Rs 8 crores? We should think of settling in London, buy a house and start a business and plan something better for us.

Honestly, why was there no case of extortion against Sameer before this case? Suddenly, these allegations have come up, which is rather alarming. Now suddenly it has come up only to tarnish his spotless image as an upright officer.



Do you see this as a personal vendetta against Sameer?


This shouldn’t have been the case, especially when Sameer is doing something right. And it is not even that he is making money after he seizes drugs or he’s being rewarded for it. He is doing reformatory work, please don’t punish him for that. Having said that, I want to know who will benefit if Sameer goes away from this case and the NCB. There is so much noise being made that he is targeting Bollywood, which is not the case. This is just one case.

Actresses like Deepika Padukone and others were paraded to the NCB office last year, when Sushant Singh Rajput’s case was being investigated. But, Aryan Khan is in jail even when no drugs were found on him. Why do you think that’s happened?

The actresses were called for questioning – questioning and conviction are two different things. If there are some leads in a case, people pertaining to those leads are bound to be called for questioning.

You’ve made a lot of public and TV appearances lately. You seem like a very self-assured person. But, are you worried for Sameer and yourself?

I am a self-assured woman. I am a very strong force and I always encourage Sameer, too. He is much stronger than I am. If i fall weak at this time, it will break him. The stronger I am, the more he will be able to fight the world. As they say, a woman should be standing strong by her man. I am an extremely strong woman and thankfully the NCB is providing us with protection. I am thankful to both the governments — centre and the state, for providing us with security. But I am worried for Sameer’s health. Imagine PV Sindhu is going for the Olympics and is prepared for it but then just before the Olympics, she is told now you cant play. How will the person feel? It’s the same with Sameer, too. This guy has worked for his reputation for 15 long years and he is very close to wrapping up this case. To level allegations against him and try to get him off this case is simply not done. Sameer has a spotless image and uska dushman bhi aake nahi bol sakta hain isne aisa kuch kiya hoga (even his enemies won’t come forward to say he’s capable of doing something like this. But, these people have gone beyond that, too.

What message do you have for Sameer?


I just want to tell Sameer to be strong. There are some people from society who are not with you but there is the rest of the country that is standing by you, too. Just stick at it, fight it out, we will also fight along with you.

Ever since the Aryan Khan case, have people from your line of work become wary of you?


I really don’t know what will happen. When you ask about people being wary of me, I dont think I have separate equations. When it comes to Sameer’s work, it’s different and when it comes to my work, I have a totally different equation. I treat my seniors as my seniors, and my equation with friends from Bollywood and Marathi industry is never going to change. Secretly, people from Bollywood and Marathi industry are messaging me, ‘we are with you stand strong’. But they are scared to come out on social media and show support to us openly as they are worried they may not get work going ahead. Kaun lega panga magarmach se, (who’s going to put their hand in the crocodile’s mouth?) that fear is also there.

Even if my work suffers it will be for the country. If my work suffers for the sake of my country, that doesn’t matter. If I have to suffer because of my honesty and integrity, so be it. The truth should come out.

What message do you have for the film industry?


I want to tell Bollywood, please don’t take this personally. Sameer is not against you, he is only against drugs and that’s it. He is a gem of a person to be with. Not many people know him, he is a yaaron ka yaar and dosti ke liye jaan de dega types. He is only fighting the drug menace, be it the corporate world or any other industry.



A certificate was being circulated on social media with respect to Sameer Wankhede’s birth and family, alleging that his father’s name could be Dawood Wankhede.


I don’t even want to take any name. It is a fake certificate.