NCB’s Sameer Wankhede is in charge of the drugs-on-cruise ship case

New Delhi:

A five-member team from the vigilance section of the Narcotics Control Bureau will go to Mumbai tomorrow to investigate the allegations against Sameer Wankhede, the zonal officer in charge of the drugs on cruise ship case. The agency had ordered a vigilance inquiry into the bribery allegations made against the officer by a man named as a witness in the case. Mr Wankhede is also facing a series of allegations from Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik that range from extortion to illegal phone tapping and cornering quota meant for Scheduled Castes through forged documents.

Tweeting a letter with 26 allegations, Mr Malik has been insistent that the officer be investigated. Earlier today, the drugs control agency’s Deputy Director General Mutha Ashok Jain said they will take necessary action in the matter.

Mr Wankhede had come to Delhi yesterday, but brushed away suggestions that he had been summoned by his bosses. The officer had filed an affidavit in court refuting the minister’s allegations.

After the bribery allegations by case witness Prabhakar Sail, he also wrote to the Mumbai police, alleging he is being framed.

In a letter to Mumbai Police commissioner Hemant Nagrale, he sought protection from likely legal action “being planned” against him by unknown persons to “falsely frame him concerning an alleged vigilance-related issue”.

Prabhakar Sail — who claims to be the personal bodyguard of private investigator KP Gosavi — has alleged that his boss had planned to demand Rs 25 crore from Shah Rukh Khan’s manager to settle the case against his son Aryan Khan, who was arrested in connection with the cruise ship case.

Gosavi said they should ask for a “bomb 25 crore” and then settle at 18 crore, of which Rs 8 crore was for Sameer Wankhede, Prabhakar Sail had said in his affidavit.

He had also alleged that Sameer Wankhede had made him sign several sheets of blank papers.

The NCB team will go to Mumbai tomorrow under the leadership of senior agency official Gyaneshwar Singh. It is expected to leave at 9 am and the country’s financial capital by 11 am.