Nawab Malik claims Aryan Khan did not purchase cruise tickets; levels further allegations

As tussle between the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) continues, the former has levelled fresh allegations. Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Nawab Malik claimed that Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan did not purchase the ticket for the Mumbai cruise party. Instead, he has now claimed that the tickets were purchased by Pratik Gaba and Amir Furniturewala, who according to Malik were let off by the NCB following their detention from the cruise.

Moreover, the Maharashtra Minister has also alleged that it was a matter of 'kidnapping and ransom'. Meanwhile, the NCB has dispatched its Special Investigation Team (SIT) to Mumbai to carry out the investigation. 

'Kashiff Khan forced Aslam Shaikh to come to the party': Nawab Malik

In another allegation, the NCP leader also claimed that Fashion TV India head Kashiff Khan forced Maharashtra Minister Aslam Shaikh to come to the cruise party. According to Malik, Khan had also planned to bring the children of various Maharashtra ministers to the cruise party.

NCB Delhi team visits Cordelia Cruise in Mumbai 

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) that had reached Mumbai on Saturday took over the Mumbai cruise drug bust case. According to sources, the six-member SIT team from the Operations Branch of the NCB Headquarters in Delhi also visited the Cordelia Cruise in Mumbai on Saturday night. The NCB team has taken over the probe of six cases.

Mumbai Cruise drug bust 

On October 2, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) busted a high-profile drug party on Cordelia cruise ship en route from Mumbai to Goa and seized small amounts of Cocaine, Mephedrone, Charas, Hydroponic Weed, MDMA and cash Rs. 1,33,000. As per sources, NCB sleuths led by Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede boarded the cruise ship in the guise of passengers after receiving a tip-off about the purported drug party from the CISF.  

According to NCB officials, these people, along with about 1,200 people on board the ship, were heading to the deep sea for a sundowner party. Eight people - Aryan Khan, Arbaaz Merchantt, Munmun Dhamecha, Nupur Sarika, Ismeet Singh, Mohak Jaswal, Vikrant Chhoker, Gomit Chopra were arrested, while six others were let off by the NCB. As of date, 20 people have been arrested by the NCB based on nine independent witnesses including -  Manish Bhanushali and K.P Gosavi.