Sameer Wankhede alleges death threats, submits letter to Mumbai police

MUMBAI: Former Mumbai NCB chief Sameer Wankhede, accused in a cruise 'drug bust' bribery case, on Monday submitted a letter to the office of the Mumbai police commissioner seeking protection after claiming he and his wife were receiving death threats for the last few days.

An official said a letter was sent to the police commissionerate in south Mumbai through a representative of Wankhede.

The Central Bureau of Investigation booked Wankhede and four others on May 11 for allegedly seeking a bribe of Rs 25 crore from actor Shah Rukh Khan for not implicating the actor's son Aryan in the Cordelia cruise 'drug bust' case.

Wankhede, who has been booked for alleged criminal conspiracy and threat of extortion as well as provisions pertaining to bribery under the Prevention of Corruption Act, was questioned by the CBI in connection with the case on Saturday and Sunday.

The Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer claimed he and his wife Kranti Redkar have been receiving death threats and also abusive messages on social media platforms over the last four days.

The FIR against Wankhede and four others was based on a report of then Deputy Director of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Gyaneshwar Singh, who headed a Special Enquiry Team in the cruise ship 'drug bust' case after allegations of irregularities surfaced.

Wankhede last week said the FIR was registered against him because he had lodged a complaint against Singh with the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. Wankhede has alleged Singh humiliated and harassed him during an inquiry since the former belonged to a backward community.

The Bombay High Court on Monday extended Wankhede's interim protection from any coercive action, such as arrest, in the case till June 8.