Extortion allegation in Aryan case: NCB says can not reach conclusion without recording Sail's statement

Mumbai, Oct 29: The Special Enquiry Team (SET) of the NCB which is probing allegations of extortion attempt in the cruise ship drug bust case cannot make any progress unless it speaks to independent witness Prabhakar Sail, a senior official said here on Friday.

Deputy Director General of the NCB Gyaneshwar Singh, who is heading the five-member SET, said they have recorded the statements of five officials of the Narcotics Control Bureau and three others so far.

Sail is among those who have accused NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede and other officials of an attempt to extort money after drugs were allegedly seized from a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast and Aryan Khan, actor Shah Rukh Khan's son, was arrested among others. Wankhede has denied all allegations.

Mumbai Police, who are also probing these allegations separately, had recorded Sail's statement over the last three days.

Singh said they tried to contact Sail and also requested the Mumbai police commissioner to help as "there were reports in the media that he is in contact with police and they are examining him." "We also appealed Sail through the media to come forward to record his statement and submit the evidence as we are not able to serve him notice," the NCB official said, adding the team also contacted his relatives.

"I expect he could join the enquiry and give his valid statement as he is our most critical witness and without him it is not possible to reach any conclusion," said Singh.

The NCB team will also move a court to seek permission to question K P Gosavi, another witness in the cruise ship drugs case who is now in the custody of Pune Police in a cheating case, he said.

Asked whether Aryan Khan will also be called for enquiry, Singh said every person who is needed to be questioned will be summoned, but he can not speak about any specific individual.