Cruise drugs case: Mumbai Police records statement of Sam D'Souza

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 16 : As investigations in the Mumbai cruise drugs case continues, Mumbai Police on Monday recorded the statement of Sam D'Souza who allegedly helped Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) witness KP Gosavi get in touch with Shah Rukh Khan's manager Pooja Dadlani.
As per Mumbai Police sources today, Sam D'Souza told Mumbai Police that Sunil Patil (the alleged mastermind in the case) contacted him and asked if he has NCB officials' numbers. D'Scouza forwarded the numbers of NCB officials to him.
Sources said, "Patil told D'Souza that two people named KP Gosavi and Manish Bhanushali will contact him regarding drugs in Cordelia cruise. On October 2, at 8 pm, D'Souza was at the Taj presidency hotel. Sunil Patil called D'Souza and said that a very influential person is arrested from Cordelia and asked D'Souza to verify it. Initially, D'Souza said he was busy but upon being insisted by Patil, he went to Green gate area."
"At Green gate, he met Manish Bhanushali and KP Gosavi. They thanked D'Souza for connecting them with NCB officials. Gosavi told D'Souza that Aryan Khan was the influential person who was arrested. D'Souza informed Patil about Aryan's arrest. Patil asked him to follow Gosavi. All this while, Gosavi was continuously in touch with Patil," sources said.
Sources said, "Gosavi told Sunil Patil that Aryan wants to speak to Pooja Dadlani. Gosavi told D'Souza that no drugs were found from Aryan and he is innocent. Gosavi told D'Souza that he could help Aryan get some relief and asked D'Souza to connect with Dadlani. D'Souza told Gosavi that he will try and get contact info of Dadlani."
"Then, D'Souza contacted Dadlani through a mutual friend and met her at Lower Parel. Dadlani said that she is the final decision taker. D'Souza then introduced Dadlani to Gosavi," Mumbai Police sources said
"Gosavi showed a list to Dadlani in which Aryan's name was not there. Gosavi told Dadlani that no drugs were found from Aryan and he can help Aryan to get out of this situation. D'Souza got to know on October 3 that Aryan was booked. He called Patil, Patil told Sam D'Souza that Gosavi took Rs 50 lakh from Pooja Dadlani," sources said.
Sources added, "D'Souza realised from news reports that Gosavi is a fraudster. Gosavi and Prabhakar Sail are the main conspirators reportedly. After realising that Gosavi was a fraudster, D'Souza recovered the money from Gosavi and returned it to Dadlani."
Meanwhile, the Special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Court, Mumbai on Monday disposed of the Narcotics Control Bureau's (NCB) plea for recording statement of KP Gosavi, who is a witness in the drugs-on-cruise case and was arrested by Pune Police in a cheating case. The court said that Gosavi is "technically" in judicial custody of another court and the NCB should approach that court (Pune court) for it.
Gosavi and his bodyguard Prabhakar Rohoji Sail are independent witnesses to the seizure of contraband from Aryan Khan's friend Arbaaz Merchant.
Sail has alleged that Gosavi took Rs 50 lakh from an individual after the raid at the cruise ship.
Gosavi came to the limelight after his selfie with Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan's son Aryan Khan went viral after NCB arrested Aryan in the drug-on-cruise case of Mumbai.
An NCB team busted an alleged drugs party on the Cordelia Cruise ship which was on its way to Goa at mid-sea on October 2. A total of 20 people, including two Nigerian nationals, have been arrested so far in the case.