Following Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik's claim that Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) zonal director Sameer Wankhede visited Dubai to extort money, the Deputy Director General of the central agency Mutha Ashok Jain on Thursday said there was no application from Wankhede for going to Dubai.
"After joining NCB, there was no application from him (Sameer Wankhede) for going to Dubai. He sought permission for going to Maldives with his family," Jain told mediapersons here.
Nawab Malik has alleged that Wankhede extorted money from the film industry persons in Maldives and Dubai.
"During COVID, the entire (film) industry was in Maldives... The officer and his family were also there. Sameer Wankhede has to explain about his visit to Dubai and Maldives. We are sure that this 'ugahi' (extortion) happened in Maldives and Dubai. I will give you photos soon," the Nationalist Congress Party leader told reporters.
Malik also shared photos of Wankhede on Twitter and said, "Sameer Wankhede claims he never went to Dubai post joining the service. This photo has revealed the truth and exposed his lie. Sameer Wankhede was at Grand Hyatt Hotel in Dubai on December 10, 2020."
Narcotics Control Bureau in an official statement said, "Sameer Wankhede, IRS joined NCB on loan basis on August 31, 2020 and after this, he has not submitted any application for Ex-lndia leave to Dubai. As per the approval of Competent Authority, the officer has availed Ex-lndia leave along with his family to Maldives."
Notably, Nawab Malik's son-in-law Sameer Khan was earlier arrested on January 13 this year by NCB in connection with a drug case.
Sameer Khan was granted bail on September 27, after eight months in prison.
( With inputs from ANI )
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