Wankhede fails to get relief from court, NCB orders probe into extortion claims

On legal front, Wankhede, who the NCB asserted has an impeccable service record, failed to get any relief related to an affidavit on the sensational extortion claims made by the independent witness, Prabhakar Sail, with a special court saying it cannot pass a blanket order barring courts from taking cognizance of the document. Sail has been provided police protection by the state government. 

The NCB vigilance inquiry will be conducted by Gyaneshwar Singh, the agency’s deputy director general (DDG) of northern region. The NCB and Wankhede had filed two separate affidavits before special court against allegations of extortion attempt levelled against them. The affidavits had sought to pass an order saying no court should take cognizance of the affidavit prepared by Sail, who has alleged that Wankhede and others had attempted to extort money from Shah Rukh Khan to let off his son in the drugs case.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Monday said deliberate attempts were being made to malign Maharashtra through the cruise drugs seizure case, and claimed “some officials will get exposed”. Speaking to reporters here, Raut also claimed claimed that a person named Sam D’Souza, seen in some pictures related to the arrest of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan in the cruise drugs case, was the “biggest money laundering player in Mumbai”. He further claimed that D’Souza was well connected with politicians and bureaucrats. The three ruling parties in Maharashtra — Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress — have questioned the NCB’s action in the case. On Monday, Raut said, A small video (which surfaced on social media) shows the presence of Sam D’Souza, who is the biggest player in money laundering in Mumbai. He is well connected with politicians, IAS officials and even customs and Income Tax officials. It is a big game and they have just started it. Maharashtra is deliberately being maligned through such case. I believe some officials will get exposed here, the Rajya Sabha member claimed. On witness’s claim of Rs 25 crore demand to let off Aryan Khan, Raut said, He (Sail) has done a great favour to the country by speaking out about the fraud. I appreciate his courage. He has exposed everyone in the NCB and officials involved in it.