Mumbai: NCP spokesperson and skill development minister Nawab Malik on Saturday alleged the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) freed Rishabh Sachdeva, Prateek Gaba and Amir Furniturewala, detained in the drugs case, following mounting pressure from the BJP.

According to Malik, Sachdeva is the brother-in-law of BJP leader Mohit Bhartiya. Sachdeva and friends Gaba and Furniturewala are among 11 persons, including actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan, who were detained by the NCB during a raid on a cruise on October 2. Following Malik’s allegations, Bhartiya has served a Rs 100 crore defamation notice on the NCP leader.

Meanwhile, reacting to Malik’s statement, opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis said, “Instead of supporting the NCB, NCP has politicised the entire issue. I am told that among the three persons freed by NCB, one is a friend of a high-profile NCP leader’s son.”

In a press conference, Malik said, “My contention is that due to the BJP’s mounting pressure, Sachdeva, Gaba and Furniturewala were released. NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede must explain to the people why the three were let off. When Sachdeva was emerging from the NCB office, he was accompanied by his father and uncle.”

Malik released a series of videos on the entire episode to make his point. The NCP leader reiterated the October 2 raid was fabricated to defame the MVA government as well as the film industry.

A senior NCB official said Malik’s information is “half-baked, false, baseless, motivated, an afterthought and prejudiced” .“Not 11, but 14 persons were brought to the NCB office. All of them were served a notice under the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act. Their statements were recorded and thereafter, eight persons were arrested and the remaining six were let off since no incriminating evidence was found against them,” he said.

The NCB official reiterated all have been treated on par. “NCB follows a professional and unbiased approach in its ongoing mission of tackling the drug menace in the country. It takes serious action either on the basis of inputs received from public sources or based on developed intelligence inputs incorporating surveillance means,’’ he said.

Malik demanded examination of call detail records of Wankhede, Sachdeva and his father, “so people will know with whom they were in touch with after his detention and release. NCB’s operations have a direct link with the BJP”.

Meanwhile, Bhartiya said, “I have served a Rs. 100 crore defamation notice on Malik. He should tender an unconditional apology for making baseless charges. Malik is misusing his official position as a cabinet member. For obvious political reasons, he is hitting out at diligent officers of the NCB for the sole and ulterior motive of seeking vengeance for arresting his son-in-law.’’

Bhartiya added he is not an office bearer, but a BJP sympathizer.