The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has said in its response to submissions made while seeking bail by an accused Zaid Rana in a drugs case alleging that its zonal director Sameer Wankhede had planted contraband on him, that his allegations are baseless and made to prejudice and mislead the court.
In his plea through advocate Ashok Saraogi, Rana had said that in the Aryan Khan case it has come to light of all courts that Wankhede is capable of manufacturing and manipulating records. He had contended that the case was lodged due to personal enmity as he resides in Andheri adjacent to the flat let out by Wankhede and that there was a minor dispute between his parents and the tenants of that flat and hence the false case. The submissions also stated that Wankhede had personally come to his residence during the search, but the aspect is nowhere mentioned. Rana had sought CCTV footage to be called for, which would show the zonal director was present.
The NCB in its reply to Rana’s allegations has said that he has mischievously drawn parallels with the case of Aryan Khan. It called the allegations against Wankhede scathing and baseless, without any material in support of them. It said that Rana has come with the agenda to defame and tarnish its image and that of its responsible officers who have acted in the course of their duty. It called the application frivolous and for publicity. “Such proceedings give a wrong message to society and ought to be admonished and dismissed with strictures and costs,” it stated.
Regarding the dispute of Rana’s parents with tenants of Wankhede, it said there is no material to substantiate it. “It is shocking that the applicant is, after over seven months of the date of the incident, alleging that Sameer Wankhede has allegedly planted some contraband,” it said.
The NCB said Rana’s plea asking for CCTV footage is an afterthought and that such gathering of evidence can be done during the trial. The NCB said Rana had himself voluntarily surrendered LSD blots from his wallet and the footage from his living room be called for by the court to show he had surrendered it to the seizing officer.
