Sameer Wankhede, accused in bribery case, claims he's getting death threats

Mumbai: Former Mumbai NCB chief Sameer Wankhede, accused in a cruise 'drug bust' bribery case, on Monday claimed he and his wife have been receiving death threats for the last few days.

Wankhede said he will write to the Mumbai police commissioner in this connection and seek protection.

The Central Bureau of Investigation, probing the alleged Rs 25 crore bribe demand from actor Shah Rukh Khan for not implicating his son Aryan in the Cordelia cruise 'drug bust' case, booked Wankhede and four others on May 11 for alleged criminal conspiracy and threat of extortion, besides provisions pertaining to bribery under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer claimed that for the last four days, he and his wife Kranti Redkar have been receiving death threats and also abusive messages on social media platforms, he said.

Wankhede said he will write a letter to the Mumbai police commissioner in this connection and request for special protection.

He was questioned by CBI officials in Mumbai on Saturday and Sunday.

The FIR against Wankhede and four others was based on a report of then Deputy Director of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Gyaneshwar Singh, who headed a Special Enquiry Team.

Wankhede last week said the FIR was registered against him only because he had lodged a complaint against Singh with the National Commission for Scheduled Castes.

He alleged that Singh humiliated and harassed him during an inquiry as he belongs to a backward community.

The IRS officer had also approached the Bombay High Court seeking quashing of the CBI's FIR against him.

The HC on Monday extended Wankhede's interim protection from any coercive action, such as arrest, till June 8.