Amid the barrage of allegations by state’s Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik against Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Mumbai Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede, Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil ruled out a probe against the officer.
Incidentally, both Malik, the NCP chief spokesperson and Walse-Patil belong to Sharad Pawar-NCP and are senior ministers in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
“There is no question of a probe by the state government because Sameer Wankhede is working through a central agency,” Walse-Patil said.
"I have no information on his (Nawab Malik) statement. He has not given me any evidence regarding this. I will take the information from him. Right now I have no information," Walse-Patil said.
Malik had claimed that Wankhede would be arrested and suspended from service within a year’s time.
"A special officer (Sameer Wankhede) was brought in to the NCB after Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide. The CBI is investigating the case but the mystery over whether it is a suicide or murder remains unresolved. But the NCB is now after the film industry…Rhea Chakraborty - the live-in partner of the actor was booked in a fake case,” Malik has said. "Attempts were made to implicate certain people in false cases. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the entire film industry was in Maldives. What was the officer and his family doing in Maldives and Dubai? This has to be clarified by Sameer Wankhede," the NCP spokesperson said.
Reacting to the allegations, Wankhede stated: “I am a small officer and just doing my duty. I strongly condemn all this… I don’t know why the minister is doing all this… The cases are sub-judice… I will give a suitable reply at the appropriate time,” Wankhede said, adding that he, his sister Jasmeen, father and late mother are being maligned by Malik.
Coming to Wankhede’s defence, NCB’s Deputy Director South-West Region Mutha Ashok Jain in a statement, said: “Sameer Wankhede, IRS joined NCB on loan basis on 31.08.2020 and after this he has not submitted any application for ex-India leave to Dubai. ..As per the approval of Competent Authority vide NCB Order No. A50/2/202l-Acctss/146 dated 27.07.2021, the officer has availed ex-lndia leave along with his family to Maldives'".
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