Written by Ishika Yadav | Edited by Chandrashekar Srinivasan
Sameer Wankhede – the former Nacotics Control Bureau zonal director who conducted the op that led to Aryan Khan‘s arrest in the drugs-on-cruise case – faces strict action for ‘shoddy work’ in the investigative process, officials said Friday afternoon.
This comes shortly after Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, was given a clean chit by a special NCB team re-examining his case. The team found there was insufficient evidence to file charges against Aryan Khan – whom the NCB team led by Wankhede had claimed was linked to an international drugs syndicate – and five others.
Wankhede has so far refused to comment on the anti-drugs agency’s clean chit.
Sameer Wankhede was on deputation to the NCB starting September 2020. His term ended December 31 and he has returned to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.
He led initial investigations into the drugs-on-cruise case – under which Aryan Khan, Arbaaz Merchant, Munmum Dhamecha and several others were arrested on narcotics charges.
The high-profile arrests and questions over the strength of the case kicked up a political row, with Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik levelling allegations of impropriety against Wankehede, including claims he used fake documents to land a government job.
He also said Mr Wankhede is a Muslim by birth, a claim the officer denied, and accused him of corruption amid speculation Aryan Khan’s arrest was meant to extort money.
Before his NCB posting, Sameer Wankhede, a 2008-batch Indian Revenue Service officer, was posted with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.
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