In a fresh twist in the Aryan Khan case, the BJP has now alleged that Sunil Patil, whose name cropped up in the case during the investigation into extortion charges, was closely associated with NCP leaders.

BJP leader Mohit Bhartiya in a press conference said a conspiracy was hatched to defame the saffron party. He asked, “Who are the Maharashtra ministers who put forward Sunil Patil to hatch the conspiracy. They need to answer.”

BJP leader Mohit Bhartiya has questioned the intention of some Maharashtra ministers. He said the ministers put forward Sunil Patil for the conspiracy to defame the BJP. “Are they supporting the drug mafia, or targeting an officer? It’s they who need to clarify. But a state minister (Ex-Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh) was present with a drug peddler close to Dawood Ibrahim. NCP needs to explain.”

When told that Sunil Patil and Gosavi had pictures with BJP leaders, Mohit Kamboj said “It’s a digital world, even I have pics with many leaders, but Sunil Patil and others work as liaisons and are associated with the NCP.”

Mohit Bhartiya said, “The mastermind behind the controls (in the Aryan Khan case) is Sunil Patil. He is from Dhule, and has been associated with the NCP for the last 20 years. He is also a close friend of Anil Deshmukh’s son Hrishikesh Deshmukh. Sunil Patil used to run a racket to transfer postings with the Home Department during 1999-2014.”

He said, “Sunil Patil, who’s an NCP member, on 1 October called Sam D’Souza and asked him to connect him with an NCB official. On October 2, Sunil Patil then told Sam D’Souza that Kiran Gosavi would talk to the NCB. How did an NCP member know about the drug party?”

D’Souza, a business consultant who allegedly ‘brokered a deal’ to help actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan in the drugs-on-cruise case, said on October 1, one Sunil Patil – engaged in corporate liaison – called him to share information about drugs being used in the Cordelia cruise party.

Mohit Bhartiya also alleged that Kiran Gosavi, an NCB witness in the case, is also Patil’s man.

“This is a big conspiracy to defame the BJP. NCP needs to clear their relationship with Sunil Patil,” he said.

He said, “Sunil Patil had booked a suite in a big hotel. Who were the NCP leaders who joined him there. Nawab Malik needs to answer.”

Reacting to the allegations, Maharashra Minister Nawab Malik said, “A member of Sameer Dawood Wankhede’s private army just held a Press Conference to misguide and divert the attention from the truth albeit unsuccessfully. I will reveal the truth tomorrow.”