NCB's Sameer Wankhede removed from Aryan Khan drug case investigation: reports

Sameer Wankhede, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Director, has reportedly been removed from the drugs case in which Aryan Khan was arrested.

Wankhede was the lead investigator on the case that saw Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son and others arrested after an NCB raid was conducted on a cruise ship on October 2.

The Zonal Director has come under fire for alleged corruption and extortion. He has also been slammed by a number of Mumbai politicians.

According to NDTV, a special investigation team (SIT) that will be led by senior police officer Sanjay Singh will take over Aryan's case in addition to four others that Wankhede was handling.

On November 1, Wankhede visited the NCB headquarters in New Delhi soon after he met the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) chairperson Vijay Sampla. Wankhede's visit was related to accusations that he forged his caste certificate and other documents to secure a job as an IRS officer under the Scheduled Caste quota after clearing the UPSC examination. Wankedhe earlier presented his original caste papers to Sampla to prove he is a Dalit.

“I have presented all the documents and facts as sought by the commission (NCSC). there will be a verification of my complaint and the honourable chairperson will soon give you a response,” Wankhede told reporters after the meeting.

It was not immediately known if he met NCB director general S N Pradhan or deputy director general (northern region) Gyaneshwar Singh.

Singh had been reportedly conducting a departmental vigilance probe into allegations of extortion made in the Aryan drugs case.

- With inputs from PTI