Aryan Khan Case : Mumbai Court Asks NCB To Approach Pune Court For Permission To Record KP Gosavi's Statement

The Special NDPS court, on Monday disposed of the Narcotics Control Bureau's plea to record the statement of KP Gosavi, the infamous witness in the cruise drugs case whose selfie with Aryan Khan went viral on social media. The NCB sought permission to record Gosavi's statement in Yerwada central prison, where he is lodged in connection with a separate cheating case from 2018, in Pune. Disposing of the plea, Judge VV Patil observed that since Gosavi is technically under the custody of the Judicial Magistrate First Class at Pune, the NCB should have approached the Pune court. KP Gosavi and his bodyguard Prabhakar Sail are the two independent witnesses to the seizure of contraband from Khan's friend Arbaaz Merchant. It is in this panchnama that the accused are alleged to have said that they are going on the cruise for a "blast." Gosavi faces serious allegations of monetary transactions with Shah Rukh Khan's manager Pooja Dadlani for Aryan's benefit, as nothing was recovered from Khan during the raid. Special Public Prosecutor Advait Sethna for NCB argued that KP Gosavi is an independent panch witness in the case. "We have to file a chargesheet in our CR (cruise drugs case), and therefore we want to record his statement under section 67 NDPS Act. Our officers will go there (prison) and they will record his statements. We are seeking directions to be given to jail Superintendent to allow us to examine, interrogate, record voluntary statement until such time as required," he said. Sethna said his officers were ready to go on Tuesday itself and didn't need more than three days. "Expedient and necessary for a transparent probe." In its order the court said, "Since panch witness KP Gosavi, whose statement applicant agency intend to record is not in the judicial custody of this court but in the judicial custody of JMFC, Pune. It is for the applicant agency to approach concerned court for necessary relief as prayed." Earlier this month, the probe into the Cruise Ship Drugs Case was transferred to a Special Investigation Team (SIT). This comes following several personal and service-related allegations levelled against the zonal director Sameer Wankhede. So far 15 of the 20 accused have been granted bail in the case. Allegations Against Gosavi In an affidavit, Gosavi's body guard Prabhakar Sail made startling allegations of extortion and pay-offs against KP Gosavi and others. Sail alleged that he was called to the NCB office and was asked by Sameer Wakhende to sign as a panch witness of the case and his signature was taken on 10 blank papers. Sail further claimed in the affidavit that he overheard Gosavi telling one Sam D'Souza that "you put a bomb of Rs 25 crores, let's settle for Rs 18 crores because we have to give 8 crores to Sameer Wankhede." This was after Gosavi left the NCB office on the intervening night of October 2 and 3. Sail said a few minutes later he saw Pooja Dadlani (Shah Rukh Khan's manager) talking to KP Gosavi. Later Gosavi allegedly asked him to go to a location to collect Rs 50 lakhs cash. He said he collected two bags of cash and delivered it to Gosavi.

Aryan Khan Case : Mumbai Court Asks NCB To Approach Pune Court For Permission To Record KP Gosavi's Statement

Sharmeen Hakim

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