Aryan Khan Case: NCB Report Flags Irregularities, 'Suspicious Behaviour' Of 7-8 Officers

NCB Vigilance Report: The investigation discovered several "procedural lapses," and eight officers and staff members have been accused of vigilance-related issues.

A special inquiry team of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has stated in its internal report that there were several "irregularities" in the investigation of the Cordelia cruise drugs case involving Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan. NCB sources told ABP News that the investigation in the case was not done properly and many shortcomings came to the fore in the work done by the officers of the anti-drugs agency involved in the case.

The NCB, in its report, has flagged "suspicious behaviour" on the part of seven to eight officers of the agency. 

A senior NCB official told ABP News that despite the lack of evidence in the case, investigation was being done and the matter was being taken forward. Statements of 65 people were recorded four times as they were changing their statements frequently, the report said.

The official said it was also being investigated if there was any monetary transaction in the drugs-on-cruise case.

The investigation by the NCB special team was launched following Aryan Khan's acquittal in the case, and the report has been submitted to the bureau chief in Delhi

The report recommended disciplinary action against officers from the bureau, those taken on loan during the case, and those in the NCB's Mumbai office.

In May this year, the NCB had given a clean chit to Aryan Khan in the Cordelia cruise drugs case and did not name him in its chargesheet. In a statement, the NCB said the agency could not find sufficient evidence against Aryan Khan.

On the intervening night of October 2 and 3 last year, an NCB team headed by the then Mumbai Zone head, Sameer Wankhede, had conducted a raid on the Goa-bound Cordelia Cruise yacht where a drug party was reportedly being held.

Aryan Khan was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) last year in October on charges of drugs conspiracy and consuming drugs. After interrogation, Aryan Khan was remanded to judicial custody though no drugs were recovered from him. Aryan was finally granted bail by the Bombay High Court on October 28.

Aryan Khan's arrest had triggered a massive political furore with allegations and counter-allegations between Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik and Leader of the Opposition Devendra Fadnavis.

Sameer Wankhede was in the eye of a political storm following allegations of extortion in the case after a witness claimed he overheard two people talking of a Rs 25 crore deal to let off Aryan Khan in the case.