According to sources, the Anti-Drugs Agency would contest the bail of the Minister’s son-in-law.

Six cases implicating Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik’s son-in-law were transferred Friday evening from the Narcotics Control Bureau’s Mumbai unit to a special investigation team commanded by senior police officer Sanjay Singh.

According to sources, the SIT wants to petition the court to vacate the bail granted to Mr Malik’s son-in-law, Sameer Khan – a move that is certain to spark political controversy, considering the minister’s unrelenting attacks on the anti-drug agency and its zonal head, Sameer Wankhede.

 

The decision to contest bail was reached early last month, according to news agency ANI.

The NCB questioned Sameer Khan after discovering evidence of online transactions worth 20,000 between him and an alleged drug dealer in another case.

He was caught in January with more than 200 kg of what the agency described as “assorted substances” but which Mr Malik claimed was “herbal tobacco” – and was only released on bail in September.

 

His case resurfaced after the NCB arrested Aryan Khan, Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan’s son, in connection with the drugs-on-cruise case last month.

 

Mr Malik launched an avalanche of assaults on the agency and Mr Wankhede, accusing them of extortion, faking a caste certificate, and orchestrating a “fake” case in order to entrap SRK.

 

He recently released unsubstantiated screenshots of a WhatsApp conversation between Mr Wankhede’s sister and an alleged drug courier. Mr Malik asserted that the chat demonstrated the existence of a “private army” directed by the NCB officer that was capturing and extorting money from actors.

Mr Wankhede stated that the conversations were part of a series in which his sister, Yasmeen Wankhede, a lawyer, refused an approach for representation due to her lack of experience with drug issues.

 

Mr Wankhede and the agency have retaliated by accusing Mr Malik of a “personal vendetta.”

 

Mr Wankhede, who has also been charged with a Rs 8 crore payoff in connection with the Aryan Khan case, filed an affidavit last week alleging that he was being targeted by “a well-known political figure” following the arrest of one Sameer Khan, a relative of this honcho, in a drug case.

 

“The publication of personal documents (a birth certificate) is defamatory… an unnecessary breach of my privacy… designed to discredit me and my family…” According to Mr Wankhede.

 

Mr Malik responded to that claim by declaring that the agency is “hiding” behind his son-in-case law’s in order to divert attention and criticism away from the agency’s handling of these instances.

The agency and Mr Wankhede have maintained their stances on the Sameer Khan and Aryan Khan cases, although an internal investigation has been launched against Mr Wankhede, from whose team the Sameer Khan and Aryan Khan cases have been removed.

 

Mr Wankhede stated that the cases were transferred at his request, and the agency stated that, contrary to speculations, no officer has been relieved of duty at this time.