Mumbai cruise drugs bust: NCB SIT records statement of Arbaaz Merchant and Achit Kumar, summons Aryan Khan for questioning

Mumbai cruise drugs bust: NCB SIT records statement of Arbaaz Merchant and Achit Kumar, summons Aryan Khan for questioning

Somendra SharmaUpdated: Sunday, November 07, 2021, 08:20 PM IST
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The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) which is probing six high profile cases of Mumbai NCB Unit on Sunday called in Arbaaz Merchantt and Achit Kumar (both previously arrested in the cruise raid case) to record their statements. The SIT officials have also asked Aryan Khan as well to join the investigation.

The SIT had also visited the raid spot (cruise) that was raided on October 02 in order to understand the crime scene and how the raid was conducted, agency sources said.

"We had summoned Merchantt and Kumar to get their statements recorded. The process to record their statements is going on. We have also asked Aryan Khan to join the probe. We will call all those connected with the case to get their statements recorded," said an SIT official.

Kumar was arrested by the NCB on October 06 and a small quantity of hydroponic weed alias multi-strain cannabis was allegedly found from his possession, the NCB had claimed.

The NCB's SIT, headed by Deputy Director General (Operations) Sanjay Singh, arrived in Mumbai on Saturday. The agency sources said that the other cases that have been transferred include Sameer Khan case, Arman Kohli case and drug cases of Mumbra, Jogeshwari and Dongri.

An SIT source said that the team had visited the raid spot (cruise) on Saturday to analyse how the raid took place and who all were present and part of the raid. "All those who were present at the time of raid including NCB officials and private persons would be examined. Also the witnesses involved in the case will be examined," said the SIT official.

A 22-member team headed by NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede on October 02 conducted a clandestine raid in the mid-sea on information that drugs were being used in a cruise party. During the raid, they arrested Aryan Khan, along with Munmum Dhamecha, Arbaaz Merchantt, Vikrant Chhokar, Mohak Jaswal, Ishmeet Singh Chadha, Gomit Chopra and Nupur Satija.

The NCB had seized 13 grams of cocaine, 21 grams of charas, 22 pills of MDMA, 5 grams of MD and Rs 1.33 lakh in cash during the raid. The agency has so far arrested 20 persons, including two Nigerian nationals in the said case.

Following the raid, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Mallik had levelled a series of allegations against Sameer Wankhede and certain witnesses involved with the case.

A statement, issued on Friday by DDG Sanjay Singh stated, "An SIT comprising officers from Operations Branch of NCB has been constituted by the DG NCB to take over a total of six cases from NCB Mumbai which have national and international ramifications, in order to conduct deeper investigations to find out forward and backward linkages. No officer or officers have been removed from their present roles and they will continue to assist the Operations Branch investigation as required until any specific orders are issued to the contrary. It is reiterated that the NCB functions across India as a single integrated agency."

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