Maharashtra
Sameer Wankhede: NCB scarecrow cooks up Bollywood’s “shraadh”
“Lights, Cameras… Raid…!” When the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede planned a rave party raid aboard the Cordelia Cruise luxury ship, one thing was guaranteed — tonnes of publicity, even if the actual drug recovery maybe a few tolas.
For, among those present on the ship on October 2 was Aryan Khan, the son of Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan and producer Gauri, besides a few others from the glam-entertainment world.
Truly, a ‘heady’ ambience for the NCB’s high-profile operation, a first-ever on a luxury cruiser in India, and he effected a big haul of big names, but barely any worthwhile quantity of drugs.
Amid a national furore and international attention, Wankhede zoomed around to catch a total of 20 alleged junkies by their collars and dumping them in the lockup, all the while basking in the reflected glory.
In the past over a year since Wankhede, 42, (IRS 2008), was deputed to the IPS-dominated NCB for the late Sushant Singh Rajput death probe — he jumped head-first with surgical strikes to “uproot the drug citadel in Bollywood and Mumbai”.
Many well-known names like Arjun Rampal, Rhea Chakravorty, Deepika Padukone, Shraddha Kapoor, Rakul Preet Singh, Sara Ali Khan, comedy couple Bharti Singh and Harsh Limbachiya, Armaan Kohli and the latest, Aryan Khan, were trapped in his net, and at one point he even went tantalisingly close to the Karan Johar’s ‘girebaan’ (collar).
Earlier, during his stint at the Mumbai Airport Customs, Wankhede dabbled in his favourite glamour game — cornering/detaining people like Shah Rukh Khan, Anushka Sharma, Katrina Kaif, Ranbir Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, Mika Singh, Minisha Lamba, Vivek Oberoi, Ram Gopal Verma, etc., and once even the 2011 World Cup Cricket Trophy made of gold-silver, which was ‘released’ after the BCCI coughed out the customs duty!
A far cry from the days when the NCB was a ghost, its name rarely heard in public — like the 2001 arrest of actor Fardeen Khan — compared with the daily parade of a charade now, akin to a ‘saas-bahu serial’.
If Wankhede was hoping for a pat or promotion, there was some disappointment — this time suddenly chinks were exposed both in the anti-drug actions and intentions, the NCB’s reputation in tatters — and the hunter became the hunted.
The name dreaded by Bollywood suddenly came under intense scrutiny as the Nationalist Congress Party Minister Nawab Malik single-handedly snooped on the super-sleuth — to hammer hollow the NCB’s credibility.
Like a thirsty bloodhound, the bearded, bespectacled Malik coolly launched a serial expose to prove Wankhede’s actions as ‘farjical’ (fraudulent) strikes — unearthing Bharatiya Janata Party-linked ‘independent witnesses’, his unsavoury friends, a wanted-nabbed criminal, alleged fake caste certificate, religious credentials, etc., that rattled the officer.
As Aryan Khan remained in a vice-like grip for 29 nights, Wankhede spent sleepless nights, ran from one NCB probe to another, knocked the doors of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the DGP Sanjay Pandey, Mumbai CoP Hemant Nagrale, the NCSC, the Special NDPS Court and the Bombay High Court.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi government has cried foul at Wankhede’s unceremonial attempts to perform Bollywood’s last rites and exorcise it’s spirit to other glamour-parched locales like Gujarat or Uttar Pradesh.
Some politicians like Shiv Sena’s Kishore Tiwari have accused him of a ‘danga’ targeting film personalities to help perch his wife Kranti Redkar-Wankhede — a Marathi actress — as Bollywood barely beckons.
There are other dubious firsts — how crucial ‘witnesses’ are bared in public glare which can seriously hamper the NCB’s usually covert and sensitive operations with global ramifications henceforth, the unprecedented witness allegations of extortion bids with Wankhede’s name tossed, or the accusations and probes he faces now from various quarters.
As is common knowledge, the real ‘drug bunkers’ are not in Bollywood, but on the outskirts of Mumbai and the NCB’s overzealous James Bonds could take up the tough challenge instead of ‘boo-ing’ soft targets in the glamour-industry.
A grim Malik has warned of more aces up his ‘kurta’ sleeve, vowing that “picture abhi baaki hai”, will end only after Wankhede’s sack and jail.
With many BJP leaders openly supporting him, only time will tell if Wankhede is a political puppet or a pure patriot.
(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)
Maharashtra
Ameer Sunni Dawat-e-Islami Maulana Mohammad. Shakir Noori is once again included in the list of the 500 most influential Muslims of the year 2026.

Mumbai: November 1 – Maulana Muhammad Shakir Noori, Ameer of Sunni Dawat-e-Islami, who has played a prominent role in the fields of education, social and welfare services, and religious and religious leadership, and under whose management the annual gathering held at Azad Maidan, Mumbai, is one of the largest Sunni gatherings in the world, has been included in the list of 500 most influential Muslims in the world. This list consists of those personalities who are playing a prominent role in the Muslim world with a spirit of positive change, leadership, influence and service. This list is compiled under the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center, Oman (Jordan) and is published every year in collaboration with the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University (USA). In a statement issued on Friday, Sunni Dawat-e-Islami said that Maulana Noori’s tireless efforts in promoting educational and social services and welfare works have earned him this honor at the global level.
The statement said that Maulana Shakir Noori, who leads one of India’s largest Sunni organizations, has impacted thousands of lives through education, women’s empowerment, youth guidance and anti-drug campaigns. This award is not only a recognition of Maulana Noori’s services but also reflects the positive and constructive identity of Indian Muslims at the global level. Sunni Dawat-e-Islami is a non-political religious organization headquartered in Mumbai. Every year around December, this organization organizes a three-day grand gathering that includes religious speeches, speeches on contemporary issues, and educational guidance for students.
About three hundred thousand people participate in this gathering annually. About 50 educational institutions are established under the organization, in which more than 7,000 students are studying. Maulana Noori has authored more than 40 books that have been published in different languages. He has started several welfare projects, including empowering Muslim youth and women through education, providing food and clothing to the poor, guiding the weaker sections, reforming the youth, and campaigns against drugs and intoxicants. On this joyful occasion, congratulations are being offered by scholars, preachers, and concerned people, and Hazrat Ameer Sunni Dawat-e-Islami is praying for his health and long life.
Maharashtra
‘Run for Unity’ marathon organized in Malegaon on the occasion of 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, large number of youth participated

Malegaon: On the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of freedom fighter and iron man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a Run for Unity Marathon was organized in Malegaon city. A three-kilometer long Run for Unity Marathon (Ekta Door) was jointly organized by Azadnagar Police Station and Qila Police Station located in Malegaon city. A large number of youth participated in this race and enthusiastically covered a distance of three kilometers. This race was organized under the guidance and leadership of Nashik Gramin Superintendent of Police (SP) Balasaheb Patil. On the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of national hero Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, this marathon was organized with the joint efforts of Azadnagar and Qila Police Station. The youth participated in the marathon and spread the message of peace, brotherhood and brotherhood.
The Ekta Door started on Friday at 10 am from Chandpuri Gate located in Azadnagar Police Station. The Ekta Run, which started from Azadnagar Police Station, passed through Khanqah Masjid, Khan Collection, Sulaimani Chowk, Musharat Chowk, Bhuko Chowk, Anjuman Chowk, Nehru Chowk, Bohra Jamaat Khana, Panch Qandil and ended at Azadnagar Police Station at 11 am. More than two hundred people participated in the run, including a large number of police officers, citizens and students. Students and youth also participated in this run in large numbers.
Yogesh Ghorpade, Central Police Officer of Azadnagar Police Station, not only organized the run but also participated in the three-kilometer long run himself. Along with Yogesh Ghorpade, Senior Police Inspector of Qila Police Station, Sudhir Patil also assisted in organizing the Run for Unity. Sohail Sheikh won the first place in the marathon run. While Sachin Mali won the second place and Sheikh Aftab won the third place. Participants under the age of eighteen were also awarded prizes and honors. Every citizen who participated in the marathon run was awarded a certificate. Apart from Azad Nagar and Qila Police, City Police Station also organized the Ekta Daur to spread the message of brotherhood.
Maharashtra
Chargesheet filed against Mumbai drug traffickers under ANC’s Makoka

Mumbai: Mumbai Maharashtra Anti-Narcotics Cell has filed a chargesheet in a special MCOCA court under the MCOCA against a drug peddler gang in Bandra Mumbai. The Maharashtra government had passed the MCOCA law in the assembly on July 30, 2025 to curb drug peddlers and gangs and since then, action has been taken against such drug peddler groups in Maharashtra under the MCOCA. The Anti-Narcotics Cell had arrested two associates of Zameer Ahmed Abdul Khaliq Ansari alias Boka, a fugitive accused in an NDPS case, from Bandra area of Mumbai, on charges of drug trafficking, who have been identified as Adnan Amir Sheikh and Khatun Kainat Zubair Sheikh. The Anti-Narcotics Cell ANC has imposed MCOCA against the three accused, including the fugitive accused and drug smuggler. This action was taken on the instructions of Mumbai Police Commissioner Devin Bharti. A 953-page chargesheet has been filed in a special MCOCA court against these accused, including the fugitive accused.
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