look news india
Mumbai: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has said in an affidavit to the Bombay High Court that it has initiated a preliminary inquiry against former NCBP zonal director Sameer Wankhede as the allegations of misconduct are serious. Notice against IRS officer Sameer Wankhede in preliminary inquiry Released.
An affidavit filed by NCB Deputy Director General Sanjay Singh had sought dismissal of Wankhede's plea, claiming that he was looking for a suitable bench and was trying to delay the investigation.
The court accepted NCB's assurance that no coercive action would be taken on the notice till Wankhede's application is heard. The court asked the agency to file an affidavit on Wankhede's petition. The agency refuted Wankhede's claim that the investigation was based on an anonymous complaint.
Actress Sapna Pabbi has been summoned by NCB in a drug-related case and her name has been included as a suspect in the charge sheet. In January 2024, he had complained to NCB regarding the lookout circular against him.
Pabbi claimed in the complaint that the LOC was issued claiming that she was not cooperating despite not being in India and requesting to record her statement virtually. He claimed that during the search conducted at his residence by NCB, two medicine pills were found, the prescription of which was with him.
It has been said in the affidavit that it is necessary to investigate the serious allegations against Wankhede and call him to verify the veracity of the allegations.
Wankhede's lawyer argued that Deputy Director General Sanjay Singh cannot investigate. Wankhede once had approval from Singh and was his senior. Therefore Singh can no longer preside over the investigation. NCB cannot even conduct such an investigation on the basis of an anonymous complaint.
The NCB claimed in the affidavit that Wankhede was the zonal director of Mumbai and Singh was the Deputy Director General (Operations) and hence he was not the reporting authority to Wankhede. A copy of the complaint or plaint was sent to Singh only for inspection and not for approval.
After Rajput allegedly committed suicide at his Mumbai residence in June 2020, the NCB investigated the alleged use of drugs in the film industry. A case was registered against Rajput's girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, Rhea's brother Shouvik and 33 others on charges of drug possession, consumption and funding.
Between November 2023 and March 2024, NCB sent eight notices to Wankhede to appear for investigation. Wankhede had filed a petition in the High Court last week challenging the investigation and the notice issued, claiming that he was being targeted and investigated in a vindictive manner.
