NCP minister says BJP leader’s kin let off during cruise raid, BJP says he is defending accused

Malik alleged that Sachdeva was released following calls from BJP leaders in Delhi and Maharashtra to the NCB. He added that he would write to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray seeking an inquiry into this serious matter. Mohit Kamboj is the former president of Mumbai BJP Yuva Morcha.

Malik claimed that NCB had detained 11 people during the October 2 raid on the cruise ship but let off three people – Sachdeva, Pratik Gaba and Amir Furniturewala.

“NCB Director Samir Wankhede had given a vague statement about the detention of 8-10 people during the raid. In all, 11 people were detained during the raid. The Mumbai Police also had the same information till the morning (of October 3) but then the number came down to eight as three people were let off,” Malik told mediapersons.

During the media interaction, the minister showed videos and photos in support of his claim of the detention and release of the three persons.

“Sachdeva was released after two hours. His father and uncle came to the NCB office at the time of his release. All three (Sachdeva, Gaba and Furniturewala) were released at the same time. The names of Gaba and Furniturewala have been reflected in the arguments made during the hearing in court. It was on the invitation of Gaba and Furniturewala that Aryan Khan (Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son who has been arrested following the raid) went there,” he added.

“Our question to NCB is that you raided a cruise with 1,300 people on it and detained only 11 people who were brought to the NCB office for inquiry. The NCB must clarify on whose instructions these three persons were released. Our information is that the BJP leaders from Maharashtra and Delhi made phone calls to release them.”