Aryan Khan drugs case: NCB team questions Wankhede for 4 hours, summons witness Gosavi

Mumbai, Oct 27: NCB's 5-member vigilance department on Wednesday questioned Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede in connection with allegations of 'extortion' levelled against him by Prabhakar Sail, an independent witness in the Aryan Khan case.

The team also appealed to K P Gosavi, the absconding witness of NCB in the cruise drugs case, and Prabhakar Sail, another independent witness in the case, to join the enquiry.

"Today, we recorded statement of Sameer Wankhede (NCB officer investigating the drugs-on-cruise case) for about 4 hours. He put forward many facts before the team. If necessary, more evidence & documents will be sought from him," said DDG NCB Gyaneshwar Singh.

He will remain the investigating officer in the drugs-on-cruise ship case until substantial information is found against him, the officer said.

"A 5-member enquiry team of NCB today started investigation into allegations levelled by Prabhakar Sail through an affidavit. We requested Southwest region office to get notice served to key witnesses KV Gosavi & Sail but they couldn't be contacted," he said.

Responding to a query, Singh said, "We want to conduct an impartial and independent inquiry and that's why we chose different locations for camping rather than the NCB zonal office". This is an independent place and they (witnesses) can discuss their complaints without any fear before the special team, he said while referring to the CRPF facility in Bandra.

"Gosavi and Sail can join the investigation tomorrow or a day after tomorrow and share whatever they want to with the Special Enquiry Team, preferably in the first half of the day," Singh said. He said the NCB had requested its South West region office to serve notices to the key witnesses- Sail and Gosavi.

"Through media, I request them (KV Gosavi & Prabhakar Sail who are witnesses in drugs-on-cruise case) to join the investigation and give evidence before the special enquiry team which is camping at CRPF mess in Bandra, Mumbai," he added.

Sail had alleged that he had overheard Gosavi speaking over the phone about the Rs 25 crore demand out of which "Rs 8 crore are to be given to Sameer Wankhede".

Photos and videos of Gosavi with Aryan Khan have gone viral on social media and other news platforms. The role of all the officers and witnesses involved in the case will be probed and it will be recorded if they followed the NCB manual and procedures mentioned in the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act during such operations, they said.