A BJP worker and a self-styled detective in Malaysia, who is facing a forgery case in Pune, are at the centre of a political row in Maharashtra over their role in the alleged drugs bust on a cruise ship by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), which has arrested 16 persons in the case, including Aryan Khan, the son of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan.
Maharashtra’s ruling coalition partner NCP Wednesday questioned the presence of BJP worker Manish Bhanushali with one of the accused Arbaaz Merchant, and that of K P Gosavi, the so-called detective, with Aryan Khan — and asked why the NCB had let the two perform the role of law enforcement officers.
The NCP’s coalition partner Congress demanded a “high-level inquiry” by the state government into “collusion between NCB and BJP” in the high-profile case.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Bhanushali acknowledged that he is a BJP worker and claimed that he had tipped off the NCB about “certain passengers” carrying drugs on the ship that led to Saturday’s raid.
Gosavi was not available for comment.