NCB zonal officer Sameer Wankhede
Mumbai: The Mumbai Police on Thursday told the Bombay High Court that 3-days notice will be given to NCB Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede before arresting him for the money extortion allegations levelled against him in connection with the drugs on cruise case.
The development comes after Wankhede had approached the Bombay High Court seeking transfer of the Mumbai Police investigation into complaints of alleged extortion against NCB officers including him to CBI.
In a petition filed before the court, the NCB officer has sought relief in the extortion probe saying that if any investigation needs to be done, it should be done by the CBI. Wankhede was also seeking interim protection.
A Bench of Justices Nitin Jamdar and SV Kotwal recorded the assurance given by the Police and dismissed Wankehde's plea.
"Public Prosecutor assures three working days notice will be given before arrest," the Court said.
It then proceeded to dispose of the petition while making it clear that it has not ruled on the merits of the case.
Meanwhile, Wankhede's lawyers Atul Nanda and Rameeza Hakim claimed that he has realised the "design" behind the complaints against him but did not take names consciously to "keep the majesty of law".
Sameer Wankhede is in the eye of a political storm following allegations of extortion in the high-profile cruise drugs case in which actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan was arrested. The officer is facing the departmental vigilance probe.