Men escorting Aryan Khan, Arbaaz Merchant were not from NCB: NCP

According to NCP's Malik, one of the two persons claims to be a private detective based in Kuala Lumpur and the other is linked to the BJP

In a shocking disclosure, the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), on Wednesday, alleged that the men escorting Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan and his friend Arbaaz Merchant were not part of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) but linked to the BJP.

NCP chief spokesperson and Maharashtra’s minority affairs minister Nawab Malik identified the two persons as Kiran Gosavi and Manish Bhanushali, who were escorting the two accused out of the Mumbai International Cruise Terminal at Green Gate to the NCB office in Ballard Pier.

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While Gosavi was seen escorting Khan out of the terminal and posing for a selfie with him in the NCB office, Bhanushali was seen taking Merchant out.

According to Malik, Gosavi claims to be a private detective based in Kuala Lumpur, Bhanushali is linked to the BJP.

Malik also flashed several photos that showed Bhanushali alongside prime minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda, leader of opposition in Assembly Devendra Fadnavis among others.

“The entire operation is a total fraud,” Malik said.

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When asked about his son-in-law Sameer Khan's arrest by the NCB in January 2021, Malik said, “I will not go into the case now…but you must know that my son-in-law has got bail in the case.”

“The BJP and NCB must come clear… Who are these two persons and why were they seen in the so-called ship raid… Both these persons are fakes and the NCB raid was a fraud intended only for grabbing publicity. What are the BJP’s connections with both of them?” Malik demanded.

“If these two men are not officials of the NCB, then why were they escorting two high-profile people (Khan and Merchant)," he asked.

The man seen with Merchant was in Gujarat on 21-22 September and could be connected to the seizure of about 3,000 kilograms of heroin at Mundra Port, Malik said.

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"The entire NCB is being used by the BJP to malign people, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra and Bollywood," Malik said, alleging that the anti-drug agency was targeting those who are against the BJP.

BJP targets Malik

However, the leader of opposition in Assembly Devendra Fadnavis and his counterpart in Council Pravin Darekar questioned Malik on the issue. “Why is Nawab Malik so rattled…we know that, you know that,” said Fadnavis. “Let us not give much credence to what he is saying,” he said.

Darekar said that he would not like to go into the details of the two persons as it is for the NCB to answer that. “But the way Nawab Malik spoke is not proper,” added Darekar, pointing out that Malik was speaking out of vengeance as his son-in-law was arrested by the NCB.

Two men were independent witnesses: NCB

Shaken by the charges, the NCB admitted to the presence of Kiran Gosavi and Manish Bhanushali during the raids and described them as 'independent witnesses'.

“They were independent witnesses and were there legally…no law has been violated,” said NCB’s deputy director-general Gnyaneshwar Singh, who was accompanied by Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede.

“The NCB's procedure has been and will continue to be legally transparent and unbiased,” he said. Without naming Malik, he said, “The allegations are baseless, with malice and with prejudice…it seems to be retaliation for earlier legal action". However, Singh and Wankhede did not take any questions

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