Mumbai: IRS officer Sameer Wankhede booked by CBI in corruption case

The Central Bureau of Investigation CBI has registered a case of corruption against IRS officer Sameer Wankhede and others The CBI on Friday also conducted searches at his premises Wankhede previously served as the Zonal Director of the Narcotics Control Bureau NCB in Mumbai and was involved in the investigations of highprofile drug case involving Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khans son Aryan KhanOfficial sources said the searches are being conducted at 29 locations including in Delhi Mumbai Ranchi and KanpurSources added the case was registered based in Vigilence report of NCB The case of corruption is related to the Aryan Khan case where serious misconducts were found by NCB vigilanceIn an official statement the CBI said The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered a case against then Zonal Director an IRS officer NCB Mumbai Zone Unit then Superintendent NCB then Intelligence Officer of Mumbai Zonal Unit NCB two private persons and unknown others under relevant Sections of PC Act and IPC The instant case was registered on complaint from Narcotics Control Bureau NCB Delhi for conducting Enquiry Investigation by CBIThe agency further said It has been alleged that the said officials of Narcotics Control Bureau of Mumbai Zone in order to obtain undue advantage from the persons others in the Case No 942021 of Mumbai Zone earlier registered and investigated under the supervision of then Zonal Director of Mumbai Zone of NCB had entered into criminal conspiracy with others and had allegedly obtained undue advantage in the form of bribes from the alleged accused of Case No 942021 of NCB Mumbai Zone It has been further alleged that an information was received in the Mumbai Zone of NCB during October 2021 related to consumption possession of Narcotics Substances by various individuals on a private Cruise ShipIt said It has also been alleged that the said persons entered into conspiracy in order to extort an amount of Rs 25 crore approx from the family members of the alleged accused of the Case No 942021 of NCB Mumbai by threatening them of the accusation of offences of possession of Narcotics Substances as per the alleged directions of then Zonal Director being the Supervisory Officer A token amount of Rs 50 lakh as bribe was allegedly obtained in furtherance of this conspiracy by the said personsSearches are being conducted today around at 29 locations across Mumbai Delhi Ranchi Lucknow Chennai amp Guwahati etc which led to recovery of incriminating documents articles cash etc Investigation is continuing the CBI said furtherAlso Read CBI registers case against two NIA officials on extortion chargesFormer Mumbai Narcotics Control Bureau Zonal director Sameer Wankhede was transferred from Mumbai to Chennai in May last yearThe development had come just days after the Narcotics Control Bureau NCB had given a clean chit to AryanThe Central Government had directed the competent authority to take appropriate action against Wankhede for his alleged shoddy investigation into the cruise drug bust caseIn 2021 a team led by Wankhede had arrested 20 persons in the bust including Aryan The NCB which filed a chargesheet at the special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances NDPS court on May 27 dropped charges on six of the accusedAryan Khan was arrested in connection with a drug case on a Mumbai cruise Munmun Dhamecha and Aryans friend Arbaaz Merchant were also arrested a day after the raidAryan was granted bail by the court after remaining in custody for 26 days Aryan Khan and several others were arrested and accused of alleged consumption and conspiracy among other chargesAryan Khan was placed under arrest for involvement in consumption sale and purchase of contraband Helmed by Sameer Wankhede the NCB Mumbai team raided a cruise ship off the city coast after receiving a tipoff