Political slugfest continues in Maharashtra over cruise ship drug case

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 10 : The high-profile drug bust case in which Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan was arrested has now turned into a war of words between Maharashtra Minister Malik and former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis making allegations and counter-allegations against each other.
In a fresh twist to the political slugfest, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Malik alleged that former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has been shielding NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede and accused Fadnavis of "criminalisation of politics".
Addressing a press conference, Malik said, "I am fighting against a man who is framing innocent people in fake cases. Devendra Fadnavis is not only diverting my issue but also trying to defend one officer (Sameer Wankhede)."
Malik alleged that Fadnavis shielded a number of goons and criminals like Riyaz Bhati and Munna Yadav during his tenure.
Maharashtra Minister also that after demonetisation the game of counterfeit notes was going on in the state under the Devendra Fadnavis government.
"Demonetisation was done in 2016. Counterfeit notes were being caught across the country but till 8 Oct'17 not a single case of counterfeit note was reported in Maharashtra as the game of counterfeit notes was going on in Maharashtra under Devendra Fadnavis," said Nawab Malik
He further claimed that on October 8, 2017, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) conducted raids at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in which counterfeit notes with a face value of 14.56 crores were seized but Devendra Fadnavis had helped suppress this matter.
The NCP leader also claimed that Devendra Fadnavis protected fake currency rackets in the state following demonetisation with help from NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede, who was then with DRI.
Malik also alleged that Fadnavis had connections with the underworld.
"Nagpur's notorious criminal Munna Yadav was appointed chairman of Construction Workers' Board by Devendra Fadnavis during his government. One Haidar Azam, involved in illegal immigration of Bangladeshis, was appointed chairman of Maulana Azad Finance Corporation by Fadnavis."
One Riyaz Bhati, a close aide of Dawood Ibrahim, was arrested at Mumbai airport with a fake passport. He was allowed bail in 2 days only. Why was Riyaz Bhati in close contact with you (Devendra Fadnavis)? Bhati has been seen with many big leaders in pictures," the NCP leader added.
Meanwhile, Wankhede refuted the allegations made by Maharashtra Minister and said that the face value of counterfeit notes seized in 2017 was around 10 lakh not around 14 crore and three people were arrested in the matter.
He further said that the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had approached the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take over the case, but the latter did not do so
"Nawab Malik's allegations are baseless. The face value of counterfeit notes seized in 2017 was around 10 lakh not around 14 crore. 3 persons were arrested in the matter. At that time DRI had approached NIA to probe the matter, but NIA did not take over the case," said Wankhede.
Earlier on Tuesday, former Maharashtra Chief Minister had alleged that NCP minister Nawab Malik had 'underworld links' with 1993 Mumbai bomb blast convicts.
"Nawab Malik has dealings with people from the underworld people convicted in 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts case. He purchased land from convicts of the case at rates cheaper than market rates. Was this deal to save prime land from being forfeited under Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) (TADA) law?" asked Devendra Fadnavis at a press conference.
Malik has been opposed by the BJP following his continuous war of words with Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) zonal director Sameer Wankhede.
Reportedly, Nawab Malik's son-in-law Sameer Khan was arrested by the NCB in an alleged drug case on January 13 this year. The case has come into light amid the war of words between Mailk and Sameer Wankhede.
After Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik accused Fashion TV head, Kashiff Khan of compelling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) minister Aslam Shaikh, to attend the Cordelia Cruise ship party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mohit Kamboj reiterated that his allegations of MVA ministers having links with 'drugs mafias' have proven to be true.
"I have said earlier that a Minister who has relations with drug peddlers was involved in cruise party. Today Nawab Malik confirmed that Aslam Shaikh has relations with Kashiff Khan and also that children of NCP leaders, ministers are in contact with drug peddlers," Kamboj said while addressing a press conference.
"He (Nawab Malik) has accepted everything that I had said. Earlier, he had spoken of a bearded man having connections with a minister. He himself revealed that Maharashtra Minister Aslam Shaikh has links with a bearded man (Kashiff Khan). He said that this bearded man constantly asked Aslam Shaikh to come to the party. I want to ask, what relations Aslam Shaikh have with this man who Malik had termed as the biggest kingpin of drugs?" asked Kamboj during a press conference.

Kamboj added, "The relations of MVA Ministers are disclosing slowly with those whose names are associated with drugs mafias, dugs peddlers and drugs syndicate."
Malik had yesterday alleged that Kashiff Khan forced Aslam Shaikh to come to the Cordelia Cruise ship party and was also planning to bring children of various ministers to the party. He further said that Mohit Kamboj is the mastermind and partner of Narcotics Control Bureau's (NCB) Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede in demanding ransom.