NCB targeting Bollywood, Thackeray to write to Modi, says Malik
Darpan News Desk IANS, 26 Oct, 2021 11:53 AM
Mumbai, Oct 26 (IANS) Concerned over the manner in which Bollywood is being "targeted" by the Narcotics Control Bureau for the past over one year, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will write to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue, Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik said on Tuesday.
The minister met his NCP colleague and Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil and the CM this evening to discuss setting up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the ongoing fallout of the cruise rave party by the NCB.
"The CM expressed his concerns at how Bollywood's image is being maligned globally. After Hollywood, it's the most important film industry, employs millions of people and contributes around 3-4 percent to the national GDP. The CM will write to the PM highlighting the matter," Malik told media persons.
On the issue of probing the issues revealed by a NCB "Panch Witness" related to the ship raid, Thackeray and Walse-Patil have assured that necessary action like lodging a police complaint would be taken up.
The state government is likely to probe the purported revelations made by "Panch-Witness' Prabhakar Sail on alleged bribery deals by the NCB through conduit Kiran Gosavi, who is currently absconding.
Malik's meetings were a followup of a 26-point letter which he placed in the public domain, sent by a NCB whistle-blower on condition of anonymity, highlighting the alleged goings on in the central probe agency.
Meanwhile, Marathi film actress Kranti Redkar-Wankhede, and Yasmeen Wankhede -- the wife and sister, respectively, of NCB Mumbai Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede -- slammed Malik at a joint press conference.
Accusing Malik of misusing his position and indulging in "kitchen politics", the duo also dismissed allegations levelled against Wankhede and dared the minister to prove them in a court of law.
They claimed that despite getting police protection, their families are being trolled in a foul manner and getting death threats from all over India, but asserted they are not scared.
Simultaneously, Bharatiya Janata Party activist Mohit (Kamboj) Bharatiya lodged a defamation complaint against Malik, charging him with resorting to falsehoods and misusing his ministerial position.
A CBI spokesperson here said that the agency sleuths carried out searches at the premises of Eastern Coalfields Ltd General Manager Subhash Mukhopadhyay, retired General Manager Sushanta Banerjee, colliery agent H.C. Moitra, Manager, Security, Mukesh Kumar, and Inspector, Security, Rinku Behra.
Former Congress President and Sonia Gandhi's son, Rahul Gandhi, was also present during the meeting. The meeting was held at Sonia Gandhi's residence at 10 Janpath here.
The Prime Minister conveyed his warm greetings to President Biden and Vice President Harris and his appreciation for the initiatives taken by President Biden including those related to the Quad, Covid-19 and climate change.
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has ordered Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) to cancel or revisit all the "one-sided" pacts with private companies that are not contractually obligated to supply sufficient power to meet the state's peak demand during the paddy sowing and summer season.
The new leadership team, led by state chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, had called on the Chief Minister and submitted a letter listing out some issues as needing urgent settlement.
