The Narcotics Management Bureau (NCB) initiated the preliminary inquiry in opposition to Wankhede in reference to the medicine case pertaining to Rajput’s dying and one other case of arrest of a Nigerian nationwide for medicine possession, probed by Wankhede after it obtained nameless complaints of irregularities in the course of the investigation into them.
After Rajput’s tragic demise at his residence in Mumbai in June 2020, the NCB initiated a probe of alleged drug use within the movie trade. The company later lodged a case of alleged possession, consumption and financing of medicine in opposition to Rajput’s girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik and 33 others.From November 2023 to March 2024, the NCB issued eight notices to Indian Income Service (IRS) officer Wankhede, directing him to look earlier than the company’s Deputy Director Common Sanjay Singh, who’s heading the preliminary inquiry.
Wankhede filed a petition within the HC final week difficult the inquiry and the notices issued to him, claiming he was being focused and the inquiry was an “act of vengeance”.
A division bench headed by Justice Revati Mohite Dere on Monday directed the NCB to reply to the plea by April 10.
The court docket stated till then, no coercive motion shall be taken in opposition to Wankhede.
Wankhede’s counsel Rajiv Chavan instructed the HC that Singh can not head the inquiry in opposition to Wankhede.
“Whereas probing these circumstances, together with the one associated to Sushant Singh Rajput, Wankhede, who was on the time the company’s western area zonal director, used to take approvals from Singh, who was his superior officer. Therefore, now Singh can not head this inquiry,” Chavan claimed.
“No matter motion Wankhede took in each the circumstances was after approval from Singh and different superior officers,” he added.
NCB’s advocate Manisha Jagtap stated Wankhede can not select and decide which officer would conduct the inquiry in opposition to him.
Wankhede in his plea additionally claimed the NCB can not provoke such inquiries primarily based on nameless complaints.
The petition additional stated that within the medicine case lodged after the dying of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, the criticism in opposition to Wankhede has been allegedly submitted by actor Sapna Pabbi who’s, in reality, proven as a wished accused within the chargesheet filed within the case.
“To depend upon the allegations made by a wished accused is nothing in need of outrageous and a determined try by the NCB to legitimise an nameless criticism manufactured solely for the aim of injuring the petitioner (Wankhde) in thoughts, physique and reputation,” the plea stated.
Wankhede, a 2008-batch IRS officer of the Customs and Oblique Taxes cadre, was additionally booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Might final yr on fees of extortion and bribery for allegedly in search of Rs 25 crore to not body actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan in a case of drug bust on a cruise ship.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) additionally later lodged a cash laundering case in opposition to him.
Wankhede had moved the HC in opposition to each the circumstances and was granted interim safety from any coercive motion.
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