Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Malik sought to know the link between Wankhede and one of the ‘panches’ or independent witnesses used by him. Narcotics Control Bureau During his recent raid.
Wankhede is in news for leading a raid on a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast earlier this month and arresting actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan, among others, following an alleged drug seizure.
State Minority Affairs Minister Malik said independent witnesses present at the crime scene should not have any prior links with the investigating agency. But this particular witness was earlier also seen in photographs with family members of Wankhede, the NCP leader alleged.
“How can you get your family friend as an independent witness,” he asked. Malik said courts have observed in several judgments that if a witness is found involved in several cases examined by an agency, his credibility is zero.
The NCP leader also alleged that the witness he was referring to was seen in photographs with a “lady don” belonging to the film wing of a political party. While Wankhede was not available for comment, another NCB official claimed that the witness Malik was referring to was a former army officer. He also claimed that the law does not bar the witnesses of the arbitrator from appearing in more than one investigation.
The official said that it is unfortunate that the families of the investigating officers are being dragged into controversies like this.
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