In a recent development, an NCB Special Enquiry Team (SET) assigned to investigate the conduct of Sameer Wankhede, the former Mumbai zone chief of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), has uncovered several alleged violations of service rules. Wankhede had initially led the investigation into the controversial drugs-on-cruise case involving the son of superstar Shah Rukh Khan. The findings of the SET have now been officially recorded by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which recently conducted raids and filed an FIR against Wankhede, accusing him of corruption and alleged rule violations during the raids conducted on the Cordelia cruise ship berthed at the Mumbai coast on October 2, 2021.
The case, which garnered significant media attention, involved the arrest and subsequent imprisonment of Aryan Khan, the son of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan. However, last year, the NCB’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) reexamined the raids and concluded that there was no evidence of wrongdoing on Aryan Khan’s part, ultimately leading to his exoneration from the case.
The current focus of attention has shifted to Sameer Wankhede, who was at the helm of the NCB’s Mumbai zone during the initial stages of the investigation. The NCB’s SET tasked with scrutinizing Wankhede’s actions has reportedly uncovered alleged service rule violations by the former officer. Among the violations identified are mis-reporting of foreign travel expenses and questionable transactions involving luxury watches. These findings, following a thorough investigation, have been officially recorded by the CBI, which subsequently initiated raids on Wankhede and filed an FIR against him. The charges leveled against Wankhede include corruption and violations of rules during the aforementioned cruise ship raids.
The controversy surrounding the drugs-on-cruise case reached its peak when Aryan Khan was arrested and subsequently spent nearly a month in jail. However, the subsequent reevaluation of the case by the NCB’s SIT led to Aryan Khan’s exoneration, as they found no evidence linking him to any wrongdoing. This development came as a relief to Shah Rukh Khan and his family, who had endured a tumultuous period during their son’s arrest and legal proceedings.
Now, with the focus shifting to Sameer Wankhede and the alleged violations unearthed by the NCB’s SET, the CBI has taken an active role in pursuing the matter. The CBI’s raids on Wankhede’s premises and subsequent filing of an FIR indicate a significant escalation in the investigation against the former NCB officer. The allegations of corruption and violations of rules during the high-profile cruise ship raids have prompted a thorough examination of Wankhede’s conduct.
As the case continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the legal proceedings will progress and what further evidence will emerge. The investigations by the NCB’s SET and the subsequent involvement of the CBI highlight the seriousness with which the authorities are approaching the matter. Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan and his family can now find solace in their son’s exoneration from the case, while the focus shifts to the actions of the former NCB Mumbai zone chief Sameer Wankhede, as the investigation into the alleged violations and corruption charges progresses.
