Cruise drugs case: Big relief to Sameer Wankhede from High Court, Mumbai Police will give notice three days before arrest

NCB zonal director Samir Wankhede, who is probing the Aryan Khan case, has been granted interim relief by the Bombay High Court on the investigation of the Mumbai Police. The High Court has stayed the immediate arrest of Wankhede for the time being. The High Court has said that if the Mumbai Police wants to arrest him, then it will have to inform Wankhede three days in advance by giving notice. But the High Court has also given permission to Mumbai Police to continue the investigation of the case.

Earlier, Wankhede filed a petition against the investigation initiated against him by the Mumbai Police on the complaint of Prabhakar Cell. Wankhede appealed to the High Court to grant interim relief from arrest. He also demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter. During this hearing, Aryan Khan’s bail was also being heard in another High Court Bench.

Government is making private target
A bench of Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice SV Kotwal is hearing Wankhede’s petition. Wankhede’s lawyer told the bench that I (Wankhede) are being targeted personally by the Maharashtra state government. Therefore I should be given interim relief from arrest.

Can’t wait until my rights are violated
Wankhede’s lawyer said, no consent has been taken from the state side for the investigation. If Mumbai Police arrests me (Wankhede) today, which I am also apprehensive. Millord, can’t wait until my rights are violated by the state.

Wankhede said, Meillord, my rights should be protected. I am not a paddler but only a director. My request is that it (investigation) should be handed over to CBI or NIA. He said, even under the Prevention of Corruption Act, there is a ban on my investigation in this way. There is no allegation against the Central Investigation Agency.

Government said – we have not filed any case
The public prosecutor, appearing for the Maharashtra government, opposed Wankhede’s plea. The public prosecutor told the High Court that four separate complaints have been received against Wankhede. Their investigation has just been started, which is being led by an ACP level officer. So far no case has been registered against Wankhede. In such a situation, this petition has been filed on their behalf at a very premature stage.

High Court said – give three days’ notice before arrest
On Wankhede’s petition, the Bombay High Court rejected the demand for issuing an order to hand over the investigation to the CBI, but the High Court has ordered that if the Mumbai Police arrests Wankhede, then they will have to give three days’ notice first.

The High Court said, the public prosecutor should assure that the Mumbai Police will hand over the notice of 3 working days to Wankhede before the arrest. With this, the writ petition is being disposed of. On this, the public prosecutor said, if we file a case against Wankhede under the Prevention of Corruption Act, then we will give notice to them 72 hours in advance.