Minutes after NCB’s Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede flatly denied allegations of extortion and his alleged visit to Dubai, Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik on Thursday produced ‘proof’ to support his claims. 

The NCP senior leader & spokesperson took to Twitter to share screenshots of photos posted by Yasmeen Wankhede of her ‘trip to Dubai’ in December 2020. Referring to the photos, Nawab Malik claimed that Sameer Wankhade was at Grand Hyatt Hotel in Dubai with his sister on December 10, 2020, despite denying the same.

In the photo, Yasmeen Wankhede was seen taking a low-angle shot at a hotel with a blurred image of her brother Sameer in the background. 

“Sameer Wankhade has accepted the fact that he had visited the Maldives but he denies the visit to Dubai. Here is the proof of his visit to Dubai with his sister. Sameer Wankhade was at Grand Hyatt Hotel in Dubai on 10th December  2020. His lie stands exposed,” tweeted Malik. 

‘Never been to Dubai’: Sameer Wankhede

This comes just minutes after Sameer Wankhede while speaking to Republic, denied claims of a visit to Dubai with his sister. 

Wankhede, who is set to serve a legal notice to the NCP minister, said “Nawab Malik is an honorable Minister and I respect him. But that does not mean he can spread lies about me. His claim that I visited Dubai and Maldives is a blatant lie. I have never been to that place. Speaking of my trip to the Maldives, I had taken all the permissions from the government of India, my seniors and the competent authorities. So is it a crime to go to the Maldives with my family? I have paid for the trip from my own salary, is it a crime too?” he asked. 

The NCB officer said Nawab Malik should provide evidence to support the extortion allegations against him. “Extortion is a dirty word to be used against a government official and he should have proof to address such a serious matter. But does going on a trip with my family mean extortion? It is shocking to hear this coming from a respected minister,” said Wankhede. 

Days after drawing connections between the NCB and the Bharatiya Janata Party, Nawab Malik claimed on Thursday that the duo is running “an extortion racket” in the city.  Claiming that the anti-drug agency is filing “bogus” cases against people, the NCP Spokesperson demanded a judicial probe in all the matters investigated by it over the past year. He also demanded that the mobile phone and WhatsApp chats of NCB officer Sameer Wankhede be checked to reveal his connections with the saffron party.

Notably, Nawab Nawab malik’s son-in-law Sameer Khan was granted bail by Special NDPS Court last week in connection was a drugs case. Sameer Khan was accused of selling, procuring, purchase and transporting 194.6kg of ganja and 6 CBD sprays and financing illicit trafficking.