Embattled NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede has moved the Bombay High Court over a probe by the Mumbai Police into extortion charges against him.
Ever since the arrest of Aryan Khan, Wankhede has been accused by opposition parties of pursuing the BJP agenda and attempting to extort celebrities.
ANI reported Wankhede moved the Bombay High Court over "apprehensions the Mumbai Police may arrest him". Bar & Bench reported Wankhede had asked the court to direct that "all or any FIR filed or proposed to be filed against Sameer Wankhede for extortion or corruption be investigated by NIA or CBI and not Maharashtra government".
His petition was disposed off after the Maharashtra government informed it would give him 72 hours' notice if it registered an offence against him under Prevention of Corruption Act.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police has summoned BJP member Manish Bhanushali for questioning.
Bhanushali was among the witnesses who were present during the raid by the Narcotics Control Bureau on a cruise ship on October 2 that led to the arrest of Aryan Khan.
The presence of Bhanushali and K.P. Gosavi, a private investigator, during the raid had triggered criticism as they were not NCB staff. Bhanushali's presence had been cited by opposition leaders such as NCP's Nawab Malik as evidence that the NCB was working at the behest of the BJP.
Bhansushali had earlier told news agency ANI he did not have "any official position" in the BJP. He claimed he received information about a drug party, which he provided to officials.
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News of the summons to Bhanushali comes hours after the Pune Police arrested K.P. Gosavi.
Gosavi was arrested in connection with a cheating case against him registered in 2018. Gosavi was arrested from a lodge in Pune around 3am on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, Malik and the NCP continued levelling allegations against the conduct of the NCB. On Thursday, Malik alleged that Kashiff Khan, the MD of Fashion TV, had organised the rave party on the cruise ship. However, there was no action against him as he was close to Sameer Wankhede.
