Aryan Khan case: Sam D'Souza was working with NCB since June, says Nawab Malik

Sanjay Singh, head of the SIT formed by NCB, at the NCB office on Sunday. Pic/Bipin Kokate

Addressing his ninth press conference after the arrest of Aryan Khan, now out on bail, state minister Nawab Malik said on Sunday that an informer named Sanville D'Souza, alias Sam, orchestrated a deal between NCB officer Sameer Wankhede and Shah Rukh Khan's manager Pooja Dadlani to let the actor's son walk away. The matter wouldn't have blown up had KP Gosavi's selfie with Aryan not gone viral, said the minister.

Malik said Sam is an accused in the agency's weed bakery case, but he was never arrested despite being summoned. Keeping up his allegations against Narcotics Control Bureau's Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede has his own army to extort money from people and D'Souza was a part of it. Malik also said that some other NCB officers were also involved in what he called Wenkhede's design. He said D'Souza was summoned by the NCB in June. Malik shared on Twitter what he claimed to be a copy of the summons.

Sunil Patil said he had simply connected Sam D'Souza with Bhanushali and Gosavi; (right) Mohit Kamboj (Bhartiya) speaks to the media at Santacruz on Sunday. Pic/Atul Kamble

The minister shared an audio clip purportedly between a top NCB officer and D'Souza. The officer purportedly tells D'Souza to report before the agency and that he should not "think of changing his phone as he has all IMEI details". On D'Souza's request, the officer gives him more time, claims the audio clip.

"I want to ask the agency why he was not arrested and what happened after the summons? As per my information, he [Sam D'Souza] paid some amount to the officer and became an informer. He was just involved in making deals for NCB and collecting money as we can see what is happening in the cruise drug case. He is one of the main culprits behind the extortion money taken from Pooja Dadlani," Malik said.

The minister said he has nothing against NCB. "I am not saying that entire NCB is fraud but because of one person and his army, the image of NCB is at stake and the senior officers should not let this happen, they should probe and find the truth."

A source from the NCB requesting anonymity said, "He [Sam D'Souza] was called for clarity based on some facts that surfaced during the investigation. He was not arrested as there was not enough material against him." The officer also said that D'Souza was summoned in a case of one accused who is the son of a former ACP of Mumbai police.

‘Not scared over SIT probing six cases'

Malik said one of the six cases taken over by the NCB's SIT is the one involving his son-in-law Sameer Khan. He said if this is an attempt to browbeat him, he won't submit to such tactics. Claiming that there is apparent pressure on SRK and his manager, he said, "I urged them that they are victims and they should fear about anything."

Meanwhile, Sunil Patil, another mysterious personality in the alleged extortion attempt from SRK's manager Dadlani, came forward following D'Souza allegations that it was Patil who had introduced him to NCB's panch witnesses KP Gosavi and Manish Bhanushali. Patil told the press that D'Souza is known him since the last one year. "He [D'souza] called me that he had information about the Cordelia cruise arty and wanted me to help and I connected him with Bhanushali and Gosavi. After everything happened I got involved again and because of my intervention, Gosavi returned all the money to Sam D'Souza," said Patil.

Patil also said that D'Souza wanted his help over the NCB summons. "I told him that I don't know anyone in NCB. He later asked for monetary help as he was supposed to pay to someone in the NCB. He was let off after he paid R25 lakh," Patil said.

‘No connection with Malik'

Patil said he has no connection with NCB and Nawab Malik as alleged by BJP's Mohit Kamboj, alias Bharatiya. "I was associated with NCP till 2016 and after that I am not with any political party. The allegations made by Kamboj is baseless I have never met Malik I spoke to him once on October 10 after his press conference on the Aryan Khan case."

Patil, who gave his statement to the Mumbai police SIT that is probing the extortion allegations against Wankhede and others on witness Prabhakar Sail's complaint, said he was threatened and beaten in a Delhi hotel by Manish Bhanushali and others. He said they were forcing him to speak to the media in favour of Wankhede.

SIT summons Aryan, others

NCB's SIT lead IPS Sanjay Singh had issued summons to Aryan Khan to record his fresh statement on Sunday, but he didn't appear citing personal reasons. Singh said Aryan's friend Arbaaz Merchant and another accused Aachit Kumar recorded their statement. They were with the SIT for about 9 hours.