Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik on Saturday, 9 October, alleged that Rishabh Sachdev, the brother-in-law of BJP leader Mohit Kamboj (Bhartiya) was detained by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for a few hours and then let go, based on the direction of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in Delhi and Maharashtra.
The allegation comes a week after a raid at a cruise ship off Mumbai coast that led to the arrest of Aryan Khan, actor Shah Rukh Khan's son, along with eight others.
Malik alleged that based on a "vague statement" by NCB, 11 persons were detained during the raid on the cruise ship but they let go of three persons, including Sachdev, Pratik Gaba and Aamir Furniturewala.
“Sachdev was released after two hours and his father and uncle were with him. All three people were released at the same time. The names of Gaba and Furniturewala have been reflected in the arguments during the hearing in the court. Aryan Khan had gone there upon invitation from these three,” he told reporters.
He demanded clarification from NCB for the premature release of the three persons.
The minister showed videos of Sachdeva, Aamir Furniturewala, and Pratik Gaba leaving the NCB office, to support his claim.
"We demand the NCB to reveal the facts. We think there might have been some talk between Sameer Wankhede and the BJP leaders," he added, alleging that the BJP's Mohit Kamboj got his brother in-law Sachdeva released.
The minister also questioned if NCB did a proper investigation. "The entire case of raiding a cruise ship is fabricated. A plan was devised to invite some celebrities and they were framed in it,” he added.
Malik also demanded that the Maharashtra Police access the call records of the people involved.
“The call details of Sameer Wankhede should also be obtained. We feel that from the mobile of Sachdev’s father, conversations took place between Wankhede and BJP leaders in Delhi and Maharashtra. If call details are obtained, then the actual truth about the detention and release will come out before the public,” he added.
He demanded that the Mumbai Police's Anti-Narcotics cell conduct an independent investigation into the matter.
The NCB has dismissed the allegations as “baseless,” and stated that eight persons were arrested and six were let go because of insufficient evidence.
"From Rhea Chakraborty to Deepika Padukone, other celebrities or Aryan Khan, the NCB will only act wherever there is publicity involved. Many of the cases are fake; no recovery has been made," Malik told NDTV.
"All allegations levelled against NCB are baseless, motivated, afterthought & prejudice. Such statements are based on conjecture & assumptions that are frivolous and malicious in view of documents and records produced by NCB," said NCB Deputy DG Gyaneshwar Singh to news agency ANI.
(With inputs from NDTV, ANI)
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