Aryan Khan Case: NCB's vigilance finds departmental lapses against 7-8 officials

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB)'s vigilance team which was making enquiries into the corruption allegations in connection with the Cordelia cruise drug case involving actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan has submitted its report to the Director General of NCB, the agency sources said on Tuesday. In its report, the enquiry team has stated that some "selective decisions" were made at the time of the case and have pointed out lapses of at least seven to eight NCB officials then associated with the case.

According to the sources, the prima-facie enquiry has revealed that seven to eight NCB officials were found involved in departmental irregularities and vigilance issues. The vigilance team submitted a 3000-page report to the NCB DG, three months ago, and in this report, the team has taken statements from over 65 witnesses and has also mentioned the procedural lapses made by these officials. Some of these officials are still in NCB, while some are on deputation and have joined another agency. The vigilance team has also recommended action against the officials, sources said.

Based on input, NCB Mumbai on October 02, last year had intercepted Vikrant Chhokar, Ishmeet Singh, Arbaaz, Aryan Khan and Gomit Chopra at the International Port Terminal, MbPT and Nupur Sarika, Mohak Jaswal, Munmum Dhamecha at the Cordelia Cruise. All the accused persons were found in possession of narcotics except Aryan and Mohak Jaswal.

On October 25, last year, NCB had ordered a vigilance enquiry into the episode wherein one of the panch witnesses in the cruise raid case Prabhakhar Sail had made allegations about the payoff in the cruise case.

In the charge sheet filed later in the case, the NCB's SIT that was probing the case had implicated 14 of the 20 accused while six persons, including Aryan Khan, were not being proceeded against due to lack of evidence.