Mumbai Drug Case: Wankhede to remain as investigating officer until substantial proof found against him

 

Mumbai: Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Deputy Director General (Northern Region) Gyaneshwar Singh said on Wednesday clarified that its Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede will remain the investigating officer in the Mumbai Cruise Drugs case, until substantial information is found against him.

 

An NCB team led by Gyaneshwar Singh is in Mumbai, to probe on corruption allegations put forward by Prabhakar Sail, a witness in the cruise drugs case. Gyaneshwar Singh told media that a five-member inquiry team of NCB started an investigation into allegations levelled by Prabhakar Sail through an affidavit. ?Sameer Wankhede was questioned for about four hours on Wednesday, as part of the investigation and he put forward ‘many facts before the team’.

 

‘We requested the Southwest region office to get the notice served to key witnesses KV Gosavi and Sail, but they could not be contacted. Through media, I request them to join the investigation and give evidence before the special enquiry team which is camping at CRPF mess in Bandra, Mumbai’, Singh said. ‘Wankhede was questioned today for about four hours. He put forward many facts before the team. If necessary, more evidence and documents will be sought from him. He submitted case related documents that were sought. If needed, he will be questioned further. He will remain the investigating officer in the drugs-on-cruise ship case until substantial information is found against him’, he added.

 

Sail, a bodyguard of NCB witness Kiran Gosavi, had accused that Gosavi took Rs 50 lakh from an individual, after the raid at the cruise ship. Gosavi has denied these allegations. NCB termed Sail as a ‘hostile witness’ in its affidavit in the court on Monday.

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Mumbai Police also appointed an ACP-level officer earlier today, to investigate the allegations levelled against Sameer Wankhede. ‘All the complaints received against Wankhede will be probed by the officer. Four Police stations in Mumbai have received such complaints so far’, Mumbai Police said.