Mumbai News Highlights: CBI questions Sameer Wankhede for 5 hours in cruise drug bust bribery case

A day after The Indian Express reported that the Mumbai police was initiating a departmental inquiry against senior police inspector Nasir Kulkarni and other police personnel posted at Antop Hill police station for allegedly beating up two lawyers inside the station premises, the authorities transferred Kulkarni to the city traffic department. The transfer order was issued early on Saturday, said a senior Mumbai police officer.

Police Inspector Manoj Hegiste, who was posted at Tardeo police station, replaced Kulkarni at Antop Hill station and was made the new Senior Police Inspector.

The alleged assault took place on Thursday evening after one of the lawyers, identified as Sadana Yadav, reported an incident at the Mumbai police control room. Read More

What can be the right approach to take the conversations around menstrual health and hygiene in spaces where myths and taboos rule the mindset? Thane-based Nishant Bangera, the founder of Muse Foundation, decided to do it through a festival that celebrates menstruation instead of isolating menstruators and shunning the conversation around the subject.

Celebrated in May every year, the week-long festival aptly called ‘Maasika Mahotsav’ engages with menstruating women from all socio-economic backgrounds through a host of activities alongside other non-menstruators from their communities.

“It involves simple community-engaging activities. One of them is a relay race where women would clip drawings of a pad instead of passing on a baton, in order to make them comfortable with the idea of holding a pad in a public space. Other activities like threading a needle or peeling garlic involve everyone, including men to participate, to make them overcome the gender barriers even if in smaller ways. The festival also sees dance, music and theatre performances centred on women empowerment or menstruation,” shares Bangera, a former advertising professional who started the festival in 2017, three years after he entered the space of menstrual health management (MHM). Read More

Suburban trains running in the city will soon be upgraded to Vande Metro trains with the Railway ministry directing the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) to procure 238 such trains. Vande Metro trains are part of the government’s efforts to improve the suburban railway network.

According to MRVC chief public relations officer Sunil Udasi, “Vande Metro trains will be manufactured by the technology partner ensuring Make in India guidelines of DPIIT (Department for Promotion of Industries and Internal Trade).”

Known as the lifeline of Mumbaikars, the two suburban railway corridors operated by the Western Railways and Central Railways stretch 319 km, carrying a huge daily volume of passengers. Both corridors facilitate interdistrict travel between the five districts of Mumbai, Mumbai Suburban, Thane, Palghar and Raigad. A total of 3,129 services are operated on the Central and Western lines, including AC local trains procured from the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), on which close to 60 lakh commuters travel daily at present. Read More

Two tigresses captured recently in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur by the forest department will be released into the Navegaon Nagzira Tiger Reserve (NNTR) on Saturday as part of a tiger translocation programme aimed at curbing the man-animal conflict in the district, Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar has said.

The tiger reserve is spread across the Gondia and Bhandara districts of the state.

This is the first translocation of tigers within the state, Minister Mungantiwar claimed while talking to PTI. Read More

A 15-year-old girl died and five others were left injured in a road accident near Urse toll post on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, around 3 am on Friday.

Police have identified the deceased as Sara Javed Qureshi.

Among the five injured was a 10-year-old boy. All the injured are residents of Kondhwa, Pune. Police said the Qureshi family was coming to Pune from Mumbai in a car.

Lata Phad, Superintendent of Highway Police, Pune said, “A car speeding towards Pune from Mumbai rammed a truck stationed in the shoulder lane on the expressway near Urse toll post..” Police said the victims were taken to a hospital for treatment, but Sara was pronounced dead by the doctors. (ENS)

There is no relief for the parent body of the Ascend International School which has been knocking on all possible doors to clear the debris dumped on land adjacent to the school located in Bandra Kurla Complex.

It has been over a month since complaint letters have been sent to several authorities including the Chief Minister of Eknath Shinde, but the issue persists.

Requesting urgent and immediate attention to the issue, the letter sent by the parents to Shinde on April 19 stated, “A large part of government land in BKC which we believe is designated for sporting facilities is being used as an illegal landfill, garbage dumping ground, and other illegal activities, such as truck and bus parking and squatting. This issue concerns the life and well-being of our children and all other students of the school and we hope that it is treated with the utmost priority.”

Parents in the letter had also expressed that they apprehend that there is large scale corruption across various levels, which has allowed such activities to continue unabated. Read More

Former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) zonal director Sameer Wankhede has claimed that he exchanged conversations through alleged text messages with Shah Rukh Khan in October 2021 while the Bollywood superstar’s son Aryan Khan was in custody in the Cordelia cruise drug bust case.

Wankhede’s petition challenging the CBI FIR charging him with extortion contains 12 pages attached as exhibits containing screenshots of his alleged chats with the actor between October 3 and 15, 2021.

Aryan, who was formally arrested by the NCB on October 3, 2021 after the raid on the cruise ship a day before, was granted bail by the Bombay High Court on October 28 after 25 days in jail. But his name was not included in the list of the accused in the NCB chargesheet for lack of evidence. Read More

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is looking to hire a private entity to develop recreational ground and other allied activities along the Mithi River bank in Bandra Kurla Complex(BKC).

As per the proposed plan, MMRDA is looking for an agency which can work on Design Build Finance Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) basis.

The scope of work includes development of recreational ground (RG) with allied facilities including club house, public garden,sports facilities and helipad along Mithi River in G Block of BKC. Read More

At least 15 passengers had a narrow escape when a civic transport bus caught fire in Maharashtra's Thane city on Saturday, an official said.

The blaze erupted around 11.45 am onboard a Thane Municipal Transport Undertaking (TMT) bus travelling from Alimgarh to Thane railway station, he said.

Firemen and locals doused the flames within 15 minutes and all occupants of the bus escaped unhurt, said Avinash Sawant, chief of the regional disaster management cell said. (PTI)

Police have arrested a man from Mumbra in Maharashtra's Thane city for allegedly duping a person to the tune of more than Rs 1 lakh on the promise of securing a loan of Rs 12 lakh for him, an official said on Saturday.

The accused, who was was arrested on May 18, is also accused of forging government documents, he said.

Victim Mohammad Qureshi wanted a loan to run his business, for which he approached his acquaintance, who agreed to arrange a loan of Rs 12 lakh for him. (PTI) 

Slamming the Reserve Bank of India's decision to withdraw Rs 2,000 notes, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday accused the BJP-led Centre of ruining the country's economy which he said has led to increased unemployment and inflation.

Talking to reporters here, Raut said people lost their jobs, were made to stand in long queues and their lives were made miserable, referring to the November 2016 note ban announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi under which notes of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 were withdrawn from circulation overnight. (PTI) 

Police in Maharashtra's Thane district have arrested a woman for allegedly running flesh trade from her home and rescued an 18-year-old girl from there, an official said on Saturday.

The anti-human trafficking cell of Bhayander police took the woman into custody on May 18 following a tip-off and are on the lookout for another woman, the official said. (PTI) 

A departmental inquiry has been initiated against senior police inspector Nasir Kulkarni and other police personnel posted at Antop Hill police station for allegedly beating up two lawyers inside the police station premises.

Former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede arrived at the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) office in the city on Saturday, for questioning in connection with the Cordelia 'drug bust' case, ANI reported.

Wankhede, before leaving his residence for the CBI office, said, 'Satyameva Jayate.'

Rashtriya Samaj Paksha president Mahadeo Jankar has said that an alliance with the BJP depends on "how they treat us in seat sharing for Lok Sabha."

"We are now in alliance with BJP. We want four Lok Sabha seats out of 48. If that does't happen, we will contest on all 48 seats."

RSP has laid claims on four Lok Sabha seats — Parbhani, Mhada, Baramati and Satara.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray has questioned the Maharashtra government's decision to set up a special investigation team (SIT) to probe an alleged attempt by a group of Muslims to enter Trimbakeshwar temple in Nashik.

'If it is an age old tradition, it is pointless to put a stop on it. This is an issue of the people of Trimbakeshwar. There are hundreds of Mandirs and Masjids in Maharashtra where you see such syncretism,' MNS chief Raj Thackeray said in a press conference in Nashik.

'These are traditions that need to be continued. Our religion is not so weak that it will get corrupted if a person from another religion enters a temple. I have gone to various masjids. Infact, it is in some of our temples that people from a certain caste are only allowed entry into the Sanctum Santorum. People who are hyping this issue, I feel, that their outlook towards religion is rather constricted,' he added.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday announced that an SIT will probe the alleged incident at Trimbakeshwar temple where a group of muslims tried to enter the Shiva temple.

Muslim community leaders in Maharashtra have expressed surprise over the state government’s decision to set up a special investigation team (SIT) to probe an alleged attempt to forcibly enter Trimbakeshwar temple in Nashik on Saturday, saying that the ritual of showing loban or frankincense from the temple entrance steps is a practice that has been followed by local Muslims over the last several decades.

Former Narcotics Control Bureau official Sameer Wankhede will appear before CBI at its BKC office today at 11 am.

A vacation bench of the Bombay High Court had directed the CBI not to take coercive action against Wankhede in connection with the Aryan Khan bribery case till May 22.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is looking to hire a private entity to develop recreational ground and other allied activities along the Mithi River bank in Bandra Kurla Complex(BKC).

A 15-year-old girl died and five others were left injured in a road accident near Urse toll post on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, around 3 am on Friday.

There is no relief for the parent body of the Ascend International School which has been knocking on all possible doors to clear the debris dumped on land adjacent to the school located in Bandra Kurla Complex.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has floated a tender for appointment of an independent engineer (IE) to monitor the operation and maintenance of Metro Line 1 (Ghatkopar-Versova via Andheri) after the term of the previous consultant expired.

Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi leader Prakash Ambedkar on Friday said the Bharatiya Janata Party can be defeated if an alliance of like-minded parties is formed for which leaders would have to set aside their "egos".

He was speaking on a query on Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole's reported statement about the grand old party seeking to fight polls in the state alone.

"As per the present situation, the defeat of the BJP is dependent on an alliance. It would be easy to defeat the BJP if leaders set aside their egos and parties show a big heart," Ambedkar said.

Queried about VBA's entry into the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and Nationalist Congress Party, he said this factor had been placed before Uddhav Thackeray. (PTI)

One person was killed and four others injured when a speeding truck ran over them on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway in Maharashtra's Palghar district, police said on Friday.

The incident took place on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday at Medvan, an official said.

A tempo had broken down and was parked on the side of the road and the driver, owner and mechanic were at the scene to repair the vehicle, the official said.

Two motorcycle-borne men also arrived there to help out, when a speeding truck ran over them, he said.

While one of the victims died on the spot, four were injured and were shifted to a hospital, the official said.

A case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Motor Vehicles Act has been registered against the truck driver, he added. (PTI)

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday inspected pre-monsoon desilting works in Mumbai, during which he entered a nullah (major drain) in Oshiwara and issued a show-cause notice to a senior civic official for one nullah in Santacruz being unclean.

He also visited the under-construction Gokhale Bridge over the railway tracks in Andheri and asked officials to ensure it is thrown open for public use by Diwali this year.

While inspecting desilting works, Shinde issued a show-cause notice to Vibhas Achrekar, chief engineer of the storm water drain department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation after finding a nullah at Milan Subway in Santacruz unclean.

At Oshiwara, Shinde entered a nullah to inspect the pre-monsoon cleaning works, while at Poisar river in the northern part of the metropolis, he asked civic officials to ensure the waterbody is completely desilted. (PTI)

Maharashtra on Friday reported 81 new cases of coronavirus and a single casualty due to the infection that raised the tally to 81,68,737 and toll to 1,48,549, an official from the state health department said.

As per the health department's report, the state currently has 558 active cases after 119 patients recovered in the last 24 hours taking the recovery count to 80,19,669.

Maharashtra had on Thursday logged 72 new cases and a single fresh fatality.

With the addition of 6,689 swab samples tested during the day, the total number of tests conducted in the state rose to 8,71,24,834.

According to the report, Mumbai circle reported the highest 55 new cases, followed by Pune with nine, Kolhapur eight, Nagpur four, three from Nashik circle, and two from Akola circle.

The only casualty of the day was reported from Kolhapur circle, it stated. (PTI)

After CM Eknath Shinde's inspection visit today, a new deadline for reopening the Gopal Krishna Gokhale Bridge in Andheri has been announced. As per the new deadline, the bridge will be reopened on May 2024, while one lane will be reopened for vehicular movement by Diwali this year. Previously, the deadline for reopening the bridge was by end of May, which was pushed till end of November.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Friday began probe into the alleged attempt by a group of people from another religion to force their way into the famous Trimbakeshwar temple in Maharashtra's Nashik district.

SIT chief Sukhwinder Singh visited the Shiva temple, one of 12 `jyotirlingas' in the country, examined relevant CCTV camera footage and met the temple's trustees.

A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered on a complaint lodged by a temple official against four persons under section 295 (injuring or defiling a place of worship with intent to insult a religion) of the Indian Penal Code after the May 13 incident.

Earlier this week, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered the setting up of an SIT to probe the incident.

Police had said that the group that arrived at the entrance of the temple on the night of May 13 included local people. Prima facie, they requested temple authorities to allow them to perform the ritual of offering `dhoop' (incense) to the deity from the entrance steps as per a decades-old tradition.

The temple guards, however, stopped them, leading to a row.

Subsequently, some Hindu organisations demanded that action be taken against the group for trying to enter the temple, claiming that non-Hindus are not allowed to enter it.

Members of the Sakal Hindu Samaj also sprinkled `gomutra' (cow urine) on the steps as a `purification' ritual. (PTI)

An electronics manufacturing cluster (EMC) will come up in Nashik soon and a meeting will be held with industrialists for the same, Maharashtra Industries Minister Uday Samant said on Friday.

Samant made the announcement during the inaugural address of industrial exhibition NIMA Power 2023 organised by Nashik Industries & Manufacturers' Association (NIMA).

“Along with industrial development, an electronics manufacturing cluster (EMC) will come up in Nashik in the near future. District Guardian Minister Dada Bhuse will hold a meeting with industrialists and decide the location to establish the cluster,” the minister said.

Special efforts will also be made to expand the area of the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) in Dindori and Ghoti, he said. (PTI)

An NCB special enquiry team (SET) set up to probe the role of its former Mumbai zone chief Sameer Wankhede, who initially investigated the controversial drugs-on-cruise case involving superstar Shah Rukh Khan's son, has found a number of alleged service rule violations by him including mis-reporting of foreign travel expenses and transactions in luxury watches.

The SET's findings have now been taken on record by the CBI which recently raided the 2008-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer after it filed an FIR against him for corruption and alleged violation of rules in the raids that took place at the Cordelia cruise berthed at the Mumbai coast on October 2, 2021.

The SET, in its report submitted to the central administrative tribunal (CAT) last year, found irregularities against the 44-year-old Wankhede and his team on mainly two counts -- alleged irregularities in the conduct of the drugs-on-cruise raids and violations under the Central Civil Services (CCS) Rules.

Wankhede has denied these allegations and had approached the CAT and recently the Bombay High Court to quash the CBI FIR against him saying the SET chief -- NCB deputy director general (DDG) Gyaneshwar Singh -- was "acting as judge of his own cause and conduct" as he was his reporting boss during the case in question. (PTI)

CM Eknarh Shinde today inspected the under construction Gokhale vehicular bridge in Andheri. He also reviewed the ongoing beautification work below the bridge which has been initiated. During the inspection, CM Shinde instructed BMC officials to finish the bridge work by Diwali this year. Until the bridge is opened up for traffic movement, Shinde expressed that he will talk to Western Railway Officials so to allow pedestrian to use the pathway until the bridge work is completed.

Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council Ambadas Danve on Friday blamed the state government and police for failing to prevent last week's communal violence in Akola city.

Some people were deliberately trying to create communal tensions in the state, Danve told reporters here after meeting the family members of Vilas Gaikwad who died in the clash which erupted over a social media post.

"Is the government encouraging these people?" Danve, who belongs to the Shiv Sena (UBT), said while blaming the Superintendent of Police for not taking swift action.

He also asked why the Eknath Shinde-led government was dithering over the long-due civic elections in the state.

"Why is the government afraid of holding elections?" Danve asked.

He also visited the riot-hit area of Old City. (PTI)

The Bombay High Court on Friday asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) not to take coercive action against former Narcotics Control Bureau official Sameer Wankhede in connection with the Aryan Khan bribery case till May 22.  A Special Enquiry Team (SET) of the NCB had red-flagged several lapses and irregularities in the operation on the cruise ship conducted under the “monitoring” of Wankhede

Enforcement Directorate has attached 47 immovable properties in Pune and movable assets worth ?122.35 Crore belonging to Amar Mulchandani, Vivek Aranha, Sagar Suryawanshi and others and their family members, entities, in the money laundering investigation in the ?429 Crore Seva Vikas Co Op Bank fraud case. 

Relying on a phone recording purportedly between him and the NCB Legal Advisor, IRS officer Sameer Wankhede in his petition before the Bombay High Court said that a draft complaint prepared by the legal advisor in the Cordelia case was changed to benefit some accused. He further alleged that the final note giving a clean chit to some accused was prepared from an officer outside the department.

Former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede in his plea in the Bombay High Court against CBI FIR for extortion claimed that text messages sent by renowned actor and Aryan Khan's father Shah Rukh Khan to him and his replies to the same nowhere suggested that a demand was made to favour Aryan Khan

Wankhede, while denying allegations of demanding money in exchange for release of Aryan Khan as "blatantly false" relied on alleged messages sent by renowned actor and Aryan's father Shah Rukh Khan between October 3 and October 15, 2021 when Aryan was in custody.

Advocate Rizwan Merchant representing Sameer Wankhede said that CBI has raided fourteen places and his client's house while he was not present. He also added that a coordinate bench of the HC had said that such a format by CBI is not correct. 

Sameer Patil representing CBI said that Wankhede did not attend when he was called by CBI.

The lawyer representing Special Enquiry Team (SET) said that it was a departmental enquiry and approval under section 17A of PC Act came two days back. However, Rizwan Merchant representing Sameer Wankhede claimed that the approval had come earlier this month. 

"My client is decorated officer of the Central government. He has collected hundreds of crores of revenue for the government. There is an abuse of process, " said Merchant and argued that court's conscience will be shocked if they see what is happening in Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

Kuldeep Patil for CBI said that FIR was lodged after due approval under section 17A of PC Act and investigation had begun. "If he (Wankhede) co-operates then we may not arrest him also," Patil added. 

A vacation bench of the Bombay High Court begins hearing plea by former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede seeking quashing of regular case (RC) filed by CBI for extortion and corruption regarding arrest of Aryan Khan in 2021. Pending hearing, Wankhede has sought no coercive action against him in connection with the CBI case.

Advocate Kuldeep Patil representing CBI submited that Wankhede can avail alternate remedy before the special CBI court seeking interim protection and plea before HC for quashing of FIR. 

The CBI is claiming that they have taken approvals under section 17A of Prevention of Corruption Act. The FIR is arbitrary.
After court asked Advocate Rizwan Merchant representing Sameer Wankhede why the petitioner cannot file anticipatory bail application, Merchant responded, ' Because they will ask for an order of abuse of process. They want to put an IRS officer in jail, that will demoralise the entire service force.'

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday launched a month-long programme to expand his party's network in over 45,000 villages in urban civic bodies in the state.

Rao made the announcement while addressing the party cadre training programme in Nanded.

“We will go to the over 45,000 villages in Maharashtra and in 5,000 municipal wards in civic bodies,” Rao said. He asked party workers to form nine committees at each place, comprising farmers, youth, women, backward classes, tribals and minorities.

“From May 22 to June 22, go to five villages in a day. Spend two hours in each village,” Rao told BRS workers. He asked party workers to eat with Dalits. “Other parties are rich, we are a poor party,” he said.

“India awaits new leadership. India is fed up with present leaders. Today we are focusing on Maharashtra. Tomorrow you will have to work in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh,” he said. "Will the pain of farmers end? I am confident pain of farmers will end under BRS leadership,” he said. (PTI)

Amidst the rising temperature across the city, doctors have warned the residents of blood clotting in the brain due to excessive dehydration. Most of the major civic-run hospitals in Mumbai have received about eight to 10 patients with such life-threatening conditions.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies will form a committee to discuss the seat-sharing formula for the next year's Lok Sabha polls, senior Maharashtra Congress leader Naseem Khan said on Friday.

The MVA comprises the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress. The tripartite alliance that was formed after the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly election results ruled the state from November that year to June 2022, when its government collapsed following a rebellion against the Shiv Sena leadership by Eknath Shinde and 39 MLAs of the part

'A committee of leaders from all three alliance partners will be formed to take a review of all the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies and recommend a formula which will be finalised by the leadership of the three parties,' Khan, who is the working president of the state Congress, told PTI.

The seat-sharing will be done on electoral merits and there is no criterion that the constituency with a sitting MP belonging to one of the allies will remain with the party, he said.

"There is a meeting of senior Congress leaders on the 21st of May, and we will send our 3 leaders to it. All seats will be decided on the basis of merit and will be discussed in the committee," says Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole on seat sharing between Maha Vikas Aghadi (PTI & ANI) 

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole to meet Maharashtra DGP today regarding law and order situation in the state. The meeting is schedulded in view of the several instances of communal violence in the state.

Mumbai University’s Institute of Distance and Open Learning (IDOL) on Friday started the admission process for various degree courses offered by it. The process will continue until June end.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday asserted that although the seat sharing formula among the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners for the next year's Lok Sabha elections is yet to be finalised, the number of 19 seats that the Shiv Sena (undivided) won in the last election will remain with his party.

Talking to reporters in Nanded, Raut said the Shiv Sena (undivided) won 18 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra and one in Daman and Diu in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Although the undivided Shiv Sena won 18 seats in the last general elections in the state, 13 of the MPs shifted allegiance to the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde following his rebellion against the party leadership. (PTI) 

Baramati MP and daughter of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar reminisced about her marriage to Sadanand Sule three decades ago, while commenting on the exorbitant expenses that are done on marriage functions by families who often end up spending more than their financial ability. Sule is presently touring areas in her constituency in Maharashtra.

A Delhi-based woman has been summoned by a magistrate court in Mumbai on a defamation complaint by the late actor-director Satish Kaushik’s wife. The woman had allegedly made statements to the media claiming that Kaushik, who passed away due to a cardiac arrest on March 9, was murdered by her estranged husband after a quarrel over a money dispute.

he Narcotics Control Bureau’s (NCB) vigilance report against its former Mumbai zone chief Sameer Wankhede states that in five years — between 2017 and 2021 — Wankhede had made six private foreign trips with his family to the United Kingdom, Ireland, Portugal, South Africa, and Maldives. These foreign trips spanned over 55 days, with a declared expenditure of Rs 8.75 lakh, which as per the report, barely covered the air travel fare.

The statement of actor Shah Rukh Khan’s manager, Pooja Dadlani, was part of the Narcotics Control Bureau’s vigilance report submitted on June 16 last year, based on which the CBI has filed a corruption case against IRS officer Sameer Wankhede and four others in the 2021 Cordelia cruise ship “drug bust” case. Actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son, Aryan, was among those arrested in the case.

Former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede Friday mentioned before the Bombay High Court his petition seeking no coercive action related to CBI’s FIR against him for extortion and corruption in Aryan Khan case.

Wankhede mentioned his case before a vacation bench of justice Sharmila U Deshmukh and Justice Arif S Doctor through his lawyer Rizwan Merchant. The bench has sought CBI’s response and scheduled hearing later in the day. Wankhede had earlier approached Delhi High Court where CBI made an oral assurance of no coercive action against him till Monday, May 22, in relation to the 2021 Cordelia cruise ship “drug bust” case.