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
Mumbai: Stone-pelting case registered against police during Bandra mosque demolition, situation peaceful but tension remains, demolition process underway

Mumbai: The situation became tense after the demolition of a mosque in Mumbai’s Bandra Garib Nagar. After a clash between the police and protesters during the protest against the demolition of the mosque, the police resorted to light lathicharge here, after which the situation came under control, but the tension still persists. The police have detained about 7 to 10 protesters for stone-pelting, while now the situation here is certainly peaceful, but the tension persists. Demolition operations are underway in Bandra under heavy police arrangements. So far, more than 500 huts have been demolished and the settlement has been razed to the ground. The public protested against the BMC bulldozer and the road was blocked. The police closed the road in this area. The situation is now under control. The police said that a case has been registered after the incident of stone-pelting on the police. The police have now also started investigating the matter of stone-pelting and disturbing the situation in public places. The BMC’s action is ongoing. The situation had deteriorated after the demolition of the mosque, but the police have controlled it, which is also causing tension. Liaquat, a worshipper of the mosque, says that the police and BMC have suddenly carried out a demolition operation, while the mosque was not part of the demolition operation, yet it was targeted. Muslims are bound to be angry because the mosque was targeted, but the police started lathicharge on them, while the mosque is old and we used to offer prayers here, so this has deeply shocked us.
Maharashtra
BMC Conducts Anti-Encroachment Drive At Mumbai’s Iconic Mohammad Ali Road; Disrupts Traffic

Mumbai: A video has surfaced from Mohammad Ali Road showing the demolition of an allegedly illegal structure alongside one of Mumbai’s well-known localities, with civic authorities carrying out action as part of an anti-encroachment drive in the area.
According to a post shared by dahisarkar, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) undertook an anti-encroachment operation in the Mohammad Ali Road locality on Wednesday. Visuals circulating online show a JCB machine being used during the demolition process as civic teams carried out the action on the ground.
The post also mentions that a heavy police deployment was also seen in the area to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incidents during the drive. Traffic movement in parts of the locality was reportedly affected as authorities conducted the operation.
As per local administration sources, the action was undertaken to remove encroachments from public spaces and ensure smoother movement on roads for citizens. The drives are aimed at keeping roads clear and reducing inconvenience caused due to illegal structures or obstructions occupying public areas.
Mohammad Ali Road, one of Mumbai’s prominent and densely populated areas, often witnesses heavy vehicular movement and pedestrian traffic, making road accessibility and public space management a key civic concern.
The civic body has been carrying out anti-encroachment and clearance drives across multiple parts of Mumbai as part of efforts to improve public infrastructure access and maintain civic order. However, authorities have not yet issued any detailed official statement regarding the specific structure demolished during the latest operation near Mohammad Ali Road.
Tension gripped Bandra’s Garib Nagar area on the second day of the ongoing demolition drive after a mosque structure was razed during Western Railway’s anti-encroachment operation. Residents expressed strong outrage and emotional reactions during the demolition of the mosque structure. As the drive was underway in Garib Nagar, angry residents staged protests at the site.
Locals allegedly also threw water and buckets at Mumbai Police personnel during the agitation. Following the chaos, Mumbai Police resorted to a lathi charge to control the situation. Another visual showed the situation escalating as a major scuffle was seen between the police and locals. Visuals from the site also showed some women personnel dragging someone.
Furthermore, some anti-social elements tried to obstruct the work by throwing stones on the the demolition squad. Mumbai Police used appropriate force to disperse them off and FIRs are being lodged against the vandals.
The drive came after the Bombay HC, in its May 5 order, permitted WR to continue the demolition drive. However, it also said that the rights of slum dwellers who were found eligible in the 2021 surveys must be protected.
Maharashtra
Citizens’ complaints are like eyes and ears for the administration, take serious notice and prioritize timely solutions: Municipal Commissioner

Complaints made by Mumbai citizens regarding various civic amenities or issues are like eyes and ears for this administration. The administration gets a response (ready feedback) from it. Therefore, the complaints of the citizens should be taken seriously and timely resolution should be prioritized. Also, the ‘MARG’ (Complaint Management) application launched by the Municipal Corporation for complaints received through various channels should be used effectively. Arrangements should be made for pesticide control at construction sites. The Municipal Commissioner said that steps should be taken to dispose of food waste generated in roadside shops and food stalls. Ashwini Bhide visited the Pesticide Control Post on 74-Minute Road in Fort area this morning (May 20, 2026). This is Mumbai’s first and almost 100-year-old Pesticide Control Post. After this, he visited the A-2 Road Repair and Storage Post and Sewerage Post in ‘A’ Sector. Road repair and storage post in S.K. Patil Udayan, student study at Kamalabai Kanya School Road in ‘C’ sector; She visited the Nana Chowk area in ‘D’ sector, the pesticide post at Worli in ‘G’ South sector and the Love Grove Rainwater Harvesting Centre. She was speaking at the time.
Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide said that special efforts should be made for pesticide control. Food waste is generated in large quantities in shops and food stalls on the roadside. Due to which the problem of rats, cats and mosquitoes also increases. Steps should be taken to dispose of the food waste generated at these places. Restaurants and food selling establishments should be encouraged to fill food waste in bags and hand it over to municipal waste collectors instead of throwing it elsewhere. Apart from this, the concerned construction professionals or developers should be advised to develop a system and deploy employees at the construction site to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes, Bhide also gave instructions on the occasion. Bhide further said that complaints and feedback regarding various civic amenities or issues are received from public representatives and citizens through helpline numbers, social media etc. These complaints or feedback are like eyes and ears for the administration. This gives the administration a real response (ready feedback). These complaints or feedback should be taken seriously and resolved immediately. In addition, the Municipal Corporation has launched a unified and dedicated application called ‘MARG’ (Complaint Management and Redressal) for complaints received through various channels like helpline numbers, social media etc. All the concerned officers and employees should use it effectively. In addition, they should try to perform better by showing their activity in their daily work. Meanwhile, the system of Udanchan Kendra should be kept ready before the monsoon season. Bhide also directed that pumping stations should be kept functional where rainwater collects.
During this, Bhide saw various equipment used for pest control and their demonstration and obtained information from the concerned employees. Apart from this, he obtained detailed information about various measures taken for rat control, overall work at the post etc. and verified the attendance records of the employees and other matters. On this occasion, Deputy Commissioner (Zone 1) Chanda Jadhav, Deputy Commissioner (Zone 2) Prashant Sapkale, Deputy Commissioner (Municipal Commissioner Office) Prashant Gaikwad, Assistant Commissioner (C Division) Alka Sasane, Assistant Commissioner (A Division) Gajanan Belle, Assistant Commissioner (D Division) Gajanan Belle, Assistant Commissioner (D Division), Mr. Salun’s officers, concerned officers etc. were present.
During this, Bhide interacted with the employees and workers of the departments of pesticides, sanitation, security etc. and found out their problems. S. Ka Patil also interacted with the citizens visiting the park and the students in the workshop. He also praised the employees and workers working at the pesticide post in D Division who won prizes in various competitions for performing their duties.
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