In a high-profile case linked to the 2021 Cordelia cruise drug bust, Sanville, also known as Sam D’Souza, has filed an anticipatory bail application before a special court in Mumbai. The accused is allegedly involved in seeking a massive Rs 25 crore bribe from Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan to avoid implicating his son, Aryan Khan, in the drug-related case. The plea is expected to be heard by the special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Wednesday.
Former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede, who supervised the raid on the Goa-bound Cordelia ship, is also one of the accused in this bribery case. The CBI recently filed an FIR against Wankhede and four others, including D’Souza, for criminal conspiracy, extortion threats, and bribery, based on a complaint by the NCB.
D’Souza’s move to seek anticipatory bail comes after the Bombay High Court denied him interim protection from any coercive action during the hearing of his petition to quash the FIR. The court advised him to approach a sessions court for advance bail, prompting D’Souza to withdraw his petition from the High Court.
The CBI’s investigation revealed that the NCB received information in October 2021 regarding the possession and consumption of narcotics substances on the Cordelia cruise ship. Allegations were made against certain NCB officers who were accused of conspiring and accepting bribes from the accused in exchange for not implicating them in the drug case.
Aryan Khan, who was arrested by the NCB on October 3, 2021, in connection with the Cordelia cruise drug bust, was granted bail by the High Court after three weeks. However, in May 2022, the NCB filed a chargesheet without naming Aryan Khan and five others due to insufficient evidence.
As the case continues to unfold, the CBI’s involvement adds a new dimension to the investigation. The court’s decision on D’Souza’s anticipatory bail plea and the subsequent legal proceedings will be crucial in determining the outcome of this high-profile bribery case. Meanwhile, the spotlight remains on the entertainment industry and the alleged links between drugs and celebrities, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by law enforcement agencies in tackling drug abuse and related offenses.