An internal investigation report by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) revealed that there were irregularities in the probe conducted by the agency into the sensational case of the arrest of Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan in the drugs-on-cruise case.
The NCB had given Aryan Khan a clean chit in on May 27, months after his arrest as the agency had “insufficient evidence” against him. Now, the internal probe report by a special investigation team, set up to probe allegations of misconduct from officials investigating the drugs case, revealed "suspicious behaviour" on the part of a few NCB officers. The probe team recorded the statement of 65 people, say media reports.
The report has been sent to NCB headquarters in Delhi.
"The role of seven to eight NCB officers has been found to be suspicious in this case, for which departmental inquiry has been initiated. Permission has been sought from senior officers to take action against those who are outside NCB," Times of India quoted an official as saying.
"The investigation found that there were many irregularities in the case. Questions have also been raised about the intention of the officers involved in the investigation," an agency source told NDTV.
The probe team, however, failed to substantiate the allegations that there were attempts to extort money from Aryan Khan over the case.
Aryan Khan was arrested with a few others on charges of possession and consumption of drugs. However, soon after he was arrested, claims emerged he was being unfairly targeted by some NCB officials, in particular its Mumbai unit chief Sameer Wankhede.